The Standard - 2016 March 12 - Saturday

VOL. XXX  NO. 31  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : MARCH 12, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Binay blasts Morales

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FAILED ELECTIONS LIKELY—COMELEC

By Rey E. Requejo and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

THE Commission on Elections asked the Supreme Court Friday to reconsider its order for it to issue receipts to voters, warning that this could lead to a failure of elections.

In a motion for reconsideration filed through Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, the Comelec pleaded for a reversal of its unanimous ruling last Tuesday mandating the activation of the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail feature of the

vote counting machines to be used for the polls.

The Comelec, which failed to answer the petition filed by senatorial candidate Richard Gordon before the Court-set deadline, urged the justices to consider “the far-reaching implications” of its ruling on the conduct of the elections, including a possible failure of elections.

“There is strong likelihood that the May 2016 elections will fail if the voting receipt feature is enabled by the Comelec at this very late stage of the project,” the poll body said.

The Comelec said the use of the VVPAT would result in additional time of at least two hours and 10 minutes for all voters to leave the counting machines, and longer

lines “which may discourage voters from exercising their right of suffrage.”

It also warned that the voting period could be extended to over 20 hours since the issuance of receipts would require four more additional steps in the polling process.

“The hardware and software without a printer/cutter upgrade on the VCMs will not be able to cut the printed receipt automatically, thereby increasing the rate and likelihood of paper jams and printer failures dramatically, as when a voter tears the printed receipt and yanks the existing paper cutter,” the Comelec said.

The poll body said it would conduct a demonstration of the process before the justices, if necessary, for them to realize

the repercussions of the ruling.

For these reasons, the Comelec asked Court to allow it to deactivate the VVPAT feature with the “presumption of regularity in its course of action and to afford it wide leeway in choosing the means to perform its constitutional and statutory duties under the law.”

The Comelec assured the justices that it shared their objectives of ensuring transparency in the elections and empowering voters in the exercise of their right to suffrage.

“Nonetheless, this objective should not result in burning the house down and risking a failure of election, a catastrophic result that is too high a price to pay for the marginal improvement sought by petitioners. Progress Next page

Acceptance testing. Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista explains to a voter the features of the voting machine to be used in upcoming elections during mock elections that were held last February, before the Supreme Court ruled that the poll body should activate a feature that would allow voters to verify the correctness of the vote they will cast in May.

Palace Most Filipinos still hold anti-gay views denies By Adelle Chua squid tactics

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DESPITE the furor over boxing champ and congressman Manny Pacquiao’s statement that gay couples were “worse than animals,” most Filipinos cling to anti-homosexual views, the latest The Standard Poll shows.

The nationwide poll conducted by The Standard’s resident pollster Junie Laylo, surveyed 3,000 registered vot-

ers from Feb. 24 to March 1. It has a margin of error of ± 1.8 percent on national figures.

Across the country, 62 percent said same-sex relationships were either somewhat not acceptable or not at all acceptable. The unacceptability was even higher for same-sex marriage at 70 percent, and for homosexual acts at 74 percent.

Acceptability of same-sex relation-

ships was highest in Metro Manila at 36 percent; followed by Northern and Central Luzon, 29 percent; Southern Luzon and Bicol, 26 percent; Visayas, 26 percent;; and Mindanao, 18 percent.

Thirty-one percent of respondents from urban areas said same-sex relationships were acceptable, but only— 21 percent of rural dwellers held the same view.

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Palace: No smear drive vs Duterte

By Sandy Araneta

THE Palace denied Friday accusations that it was behind a black propaganda campaign against Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and other presidential candidates running against the ruling Liberal Party’s standard bearer Manuel Roxas II. “The government has no project to discredit Mayor Duterte or the other candidates,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., even as President Benigno Aquino III’’s allies were preparing to file charges against the mayor for his alleged role in extrajudicial killings.

“The charges reportedly stemmed from affidavits executed by a ranking police officer and supposed self-confessed gunmen,” Duterte spokesperson Peter Laviña said in a statement.

“We view this development with serious cause for concern,” he added.

Laviña said the suit was a desperate move by the administration to derail the aspirations of Duterte to become the next president, especially now that momentum is on their side.

“This ploy to resurrect the wornout allegations against the mayor is a vain and desperate attempt to stop that momentum,”

Laviña said.

Laviña questioned the timing of the charges that will be filed and pointed out that the case could have been filed earlier, when Duterte was not yet running in the May elections.

“We deplore these dirty tricks. We abhor these underhanded tactics. We will resist this vain plot to pin him down because of his strong stand against crime and corruption. We warn them of the repercussions of such diabolical plan. The people will not be swayed by these black propaganda and amateurish schemes,” he said.

Duterte previously denied leading and conducting extrajudicial killings as Davao City mayor, but emphasized his hard line against criminals, drug lords, and pushers.

He also dispelled rumors linking him to the so-called Davao Death Squad.

A spokesman for the Liberal Party campaign on Friday defended their spend-

ing on pre-campaign political ads for Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, saying they needed to do that to remain competitive in a close race.

“In a way, you don’t have a choice because all of them are spending. The spending is almost the same and to remain competitive, you need to maintain your presence and visibility in media,” Rep. Barry Gutierrez, a spokesman for the administration ticket, told The Standard in an interview.

The latest report by the Philippine Center on Investigative Journalism on precampaign spending based from Nielsen Media’s monitoring reports revealed that Roxas and Robredo at the top of the number of political ads and the amount spent on them as of Jan. 31.

Roxas spent P969.17 million while Robredo spent about P273.86 million. Ads pitching them as a team cost P92.33 million, for a total ad buy of P1.33 billion as of Jan. 31.

Gutierrez said the high cost of TV spots was the reason behind the high spending.

“Right now, the networks are charging on average, P800,000 for 30 seconds. It’s a situation that we did not create, but it’s a situation we need to endure,” he said.

Dwindling catch. A group of fishermen haul in their net amid growing concerns at the declining fish catch in Philippine waters. ANDREW RABULAN

Most...

From A1 Twelve percent of respondents nationwide said they were undecided about how they regarded same-sex relationships.

Fewer respondents were accepting of same-sex marriages. Metro Manila respondents showed the highest acceptability at 30 percent, but the numbers went down to 20 percent in Northern and Central Luzon, 18 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 17 percent

in the Visayas and 12 percent in Mindanao.

Among respondents from urban areas, 23 percent find same-sex marriage acceptable; only 14 percent of their rural counterparts said the same.

On the issue of marriage, the same percentage of respondents—12 percent—were as undecided as they were on same-sex relationships.

Still fewer respondents were accepting of homosexual acts. Twenty-five percent of respondents from the National Capital Region said these were either very accept-

able or somewhat acceptable, but the percentage went down to 15 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 13 percent in the Visayas, 12 percent in Northern and Central Luzon and 9 percent in Mindanao.

With 13 percent of respondents undecided on how they regarded homosexual acts, the percentage of those surveyed who said these were either somewhat not acceptable or not at all acceptable were in the 70s or high 60s with the exception of Metro Manila at 61 percent.

Failed...

From A1 requires a sense of proportion, balance and timing,” it said.

In the unanimous decision penned

by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Supreme Court said the Automated Election Law was clear when it said receipt-printing capabilities should be put in place as part of the minimum safeguards provided by law.

The Comelec deactivated the VVPAT for fear that it can be used for vote-buying activities, among other reasons.

However, the Court said the poll body could not simply breach requirements of the law just “to assuage its fears regarding the VVPAT.” The tribunal also cited the Comelec’s failure to file a comment on the petition within the time required by the court.

In remarks to reporters Friday, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said they are unsure if the agency can conduct a credible electoral exercise with so many more preparations to do after the Supreme Court decision.

“We have several fears and reservations given the things we still have to do. With these, we cannot ensure that we can still deliver credible elections if we are forced to print voter receipts. We don’t know any more if we can still have credible elections

by May 9,” Bautista said.

He said it pained them to hold an election for the sake of holding it, without ensuring its credibility.

“Our job is not only to ensure there will be an election. It is also our mandate to ensure that there will be credible elections. If that will not happen, then we have failed in our mandate,” he said.

He also said they were not keen on postponing the elections, since they are set for May 9 by law.

“We do not want to postpone the elections. I want that to be very clear.

That is the primary mandate of the Comelec, which is to ensure that there will be elections in the second Monday of 2016,” he said.

On Wednesday, he said they were considering a postponement because the Court ruling had put their poll preparations in “complete disarray.”

“The issue here is time. We are really pressed for time. We have only 60 days left. As I said, we are open to enabling the voter receipt feature in the next elections, but not on this one, because what we need is sufficient time to prepare,” he said.

“We are not yet in a crisis mode but the Supreme Court has to make a decision as soon as possible,” Bautista said.

“It is like we are in limbo right now on what we really have to do. So we are hoping that we can be given directions as soon as possible on this important issue,” Bautista said.

An election watchdog group, however, said the Comelec and its supplier of vote counting machines should be blamed for any of the “farreaching repercussions” that Bautista had warned about.

Bobby Tuazon of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance said if the Comelec and its IT provider Smartmatic had complied with the law and installed the minimum safeguards starting in 2010, there would be no threat of an election failure.

“Now that they are being ordered to implement just one simple legal requirement they point their fingers at the Supreme Court [and are] pressing the panic button,” Tuazon said. With Sandy Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

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Binay slams ‘demolition job’ PRESIDENTIAL bet Jejomar Binay on Friday tagged Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales as part of a conspiracy to thwart his presidential bid by prematurely releasing an incomplete Commission on Audit report on the alleged overpriced Makati building during his stint as mayor.

He accused Carpio-Morales of doing a “demolition job” against him a week before the presidential debate that will tackle corruption among other issues.

Binay made his statement even as the United Nationalist Alliance, his party, on Friday described the CoA’s special audit report as politically motivated for ignoring to release the 2008 to 2014 CoA report that concluded that there was no overpricing in the construction of Makati City Hall Building 2.

UNA president Toby Tiangco said those audit reports spanning six years were now being set aside by CoA’s supposed special audit that was concluded after only several months.

“These CoA reports, including the one conducted by the agency’s own technical experts, are now being ignored in favor of a fast-tracked supposed special audit report that is tainted by political motives,” Tiangco said.

Meanwhile, the second round of the Commission on Elections-sponsored presidential debate, in partnership with TV5 and Philippine Star, will be held in UP-Lahug in Cebu on March 20.

“As usual, talagang ang Ombudsman ay kasama sa conspiracy ng paninira. They jumped the gun again. Bale ba naman, the usual thing. Palibhasa, malapit na ang debate. Ito ay siraan na naman,” Binay told reporters in an ambush interview in Rosario, Pangasinan.

Binay said Carpio-Morales had been pressuring CoA to fast-track the report and was calling the agency since January to take heed.

Binay earlier tagged Roxas and his allies as being behind Oplan Nognog that was hatched to bring down Binay through a probe spearheaded by the Liberals and their allies in the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, headed by LP stalwart Teofisto Guingona III, who is running for reelection. Christine F.

Herrera and Vito Barcelo

Biggest problem. Noting the 18.5-percent poverty incidence rate in La Union, United Nationalist Alliance presidential bet Jejomar Binay said poverty is the main problem that the country faces. Makati’s poverty incidence went down from 3.74 percent in 2000 to 0.5 percent in 2012, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board.

Duterte says he will get back at De Lima, Roxas LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he would get back at former Justice secretary Leila de Lima and former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas and anyone who would try to file criminal charges against him for the summary execution of lawless elements in Davao City.

At the sidelines of his presidential campaign here, Duterte denied any involvement in summary killings in his province in his 22 years of public service.

He made his statement even as a New Bilibid Prisons inmate filed graft charges against De Lima and Roxas for violating a law that reduces the sentences of prisoners

for good behavior.

Gilbert Wagas of Compostela, Cebu said because of De Lima’s and Roxas’ violation of Republic Act 10592, hundreds of prisoners who would have been freed by now under the law were still languishing in jail.

Duterte made his statement against De Lima and Roxas when asked for his reaction to the statement by his spokesman Pete Laviña about the plan of the Aquino administration to sue Duterte for his “role and involvement in extra judicial killings of known criminals and drug pushers in Davao City.”

Duterte put the blame on De Lima, saying “when she was the Justice secretary she

was yucking about it but did not do anything about it.”

“It could work both ways. It could be a very dangerous statement,” Duterte told reporters.

He denied reports that he killed three criminals while they were kneeling and begging for their lives and their hands were tied.

“It was covered by the entire media in Davao,” Duterte said and warned his political opponents not to sow intrigues.

“It will be their [biggest] problem if I win.”

Laviña said the charges against Duterte reportedly stemmed from the affidavits executed by a ranking police officer and a confessed gunmen. Rio N. Araja

Santiago vows to help moms

Clean flowing water. Children on Road-10, Navotas City , enjoy water coming from a busted water pipe. NORMAN ARAGA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

ON WOMEN’S Month, presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago vowed to take better care of Filipino mothers and infants by addressing unequal access to health services among women of different social classes.

Santiago, author of the Reproductive Health Law, said the delayed implementation of the law passed in 2012 cripples the government in addressing the alarming maternal and infant mortality rates in the country.

“The total fertility rate has been going down, but poor women are still having twice as many children as they desire. Moreover, a rising trend in teenage pregnancy and delivery has been observed,” Santiago said.

These two trends “lead to an increase in maternal deaths and are strongly associated with inadequate access to family planning information, goods and services among poor

and young women.”

As of 2012, the government says, some 221 mothers die per 100,000 live births in the Philippines, a far cry from the target of 52 mothers dying per 100,000 live births set by the international community, and even higher than the baseline of 192 mothers dying per 100,000 live births in 1990.

Santiago claims that the maternal health index is an indicator that thoroughly demonstrates the wide gaps in health care and the remarkable inequality among women of different socio-economic classes.

“Poor mothers in rural communities are more than five times as likely to die from the complications of pregnancy and childbirth. This reflects the inability of poor women to access family planning—something that rich women take as a given,” Santiago said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Treason charges vs BBL backers lauded

By Maricel V. Cruz

Keep for peace. Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and government panel chief Miriam Ferrer promote the Bangsamoro Basic Law to cadets of the Philippine Military Academy, most of whom will be assigned to keep the peace in Mindanao upon their graduation. DAVE LEPROZO

Palace defends plan to lease patrol planes

By Sandy Araneta DESPITE China’s opposition to the government’s plan to lease five military patrol planes from Japan, Malacañang insisted the plan is legal and internationally accepted.

“It is the duty of government to continuously develop our capabilities in ensuring the safety and security of our nation,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a text message to the malacañang Press Corps.

“Lease or other forms of acquisition from regional partners and allies is but a usual activity of any country,” Coloma said.

“This is a legal and internationally accepted process of acquisi-

tion by governments.”

Coloma issued the state after beijing on Thursday accused Tokyo of interfering in the South China Sea after manila said it would lease five Japanese military plans to patrol areas it claims in the heavily disputed waters. beijing claims almost all of the strategically vital South China Sea, and is embroiled in a separate row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the east China Sea

that has seen relations between the Asian powers sour badly in recent years.

President benigno Aquino III said Wednesday that manila would lease five TC-90 training aircraft from Japan to “help our navy patrol our territory”, pointing out the disputed area in particular.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said beijing was “firmly opposed” to challenges to its sovereignty and security and would “remain on high alert.”

“Japan is not a party directly concerned in the South China Sea dispute,” he added.

“We urge the Japanese side to mind its words and actions and refrain from undermining the peace and stability of the re-

gion,” he said.

Tensions in the South China Sea—through which one-third of the world’s oil passes—have mounted in recent months since China transformed contested Spratly reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities.

China claims almost all of sea, including those Spratly islands currently controlled by the Philippines.

Several other littoral state have competing claims in the region, as does Taiwan.

Aquino—whose government has infuriated beijing by taking the South China Sea issue to an international tribunal in The Hague—is looking to upgrade one of Asia’s most badly equipped armed forces.

A member of the House Independent bloc on Friday welcomed the decision of the manila City Prosecutor’s Office endorsing to the Office of the Ombudsman the treason case they had filed against the government peace panel for the bangsamoro basic Law. “We welcome this development and thank the manila City Prosecutor’s Office for finding our case meritorious enough to be endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman for corresponding action,” buhay partylist rep. Lito Atienza said.

Atienza, Abakada party-list rep.

Jonathan de la Cruz, former ambassador Jose romero Jr. and lawyer Jeremy Gatdula filed treason and inciting to sedition raps before the manila Prosecutors Office last may 28 against the proponents of the bangsamoro bill.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the respondents to file their comments, for case number OmbC-C-15-0486 (Criminal Case) for treason and inciting to sedition, Atienza said.

Among those named in the complaint were Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles and members of the government peace panel miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Senen bacani, Yasmin busran-Lao, mehol Sadain and consultant Zenaida brosas.

Former government chief negotiator marvic Leonen, now associate justice of the Supreme Court, was also included in the complaint. mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the moro Islamic Liberation Front and chairman of the bangsamoro Transition Commission which crafted the first draft of the proposed bbL, was also included in the charge.

Two tycoons pass away

By Jenniffer B. Austria TWO Filipino tycoons, founders of separate business empires that employ thousands of people, died within hours of each other, their companies announced on Friday.

First to go was Filipino-Chinese tycoon Andrew S. Gotianun Sr., founder of Filinvest Development Corp., who died on Thursday at the age of 88, followed by former ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua who passed away Friday at the age of 81.

Gotianun was the 18th richest man in the country, according to Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of over $910 million by the end of 2015 and has interests in real estate development, sugar, hospitality, power generation and banking.

Gotianun left behind his wife, mercedes, and their four children, Josephine, Andrew Jr. Jonathan and michael.

He started the business 60 years ago with

wife mercedes and eight employees, offering appliances and financing for secondhand cars. Today, Filinvest Development Corp. is one of the country’s largest listed conglomerates.

Its subsidiaries include Filinvest Land Inc., Filinvest Alabang Inc., eastWest bank, FDC Utilities Inc., Chroma Hospitality and Pacific Sugar Holdings Corp. Gotianun’s daughter Josephine runs it all.

Cabangon’s death, on the other hand, was announced by D. edgard Cabangon who asked his friends on social media for prayers for his father who died of a lingering illness on Friday. before he was named ambassador to Laos by then President Gloria macapagal Arroyo, Cabangon established and thrived a business empire that now includes Fortune Life Insurance Co. Inc., eternal Plans Inc., Isuzu GenCars Inc., Citystate Savings bank and Citystate Properties and management Corp.

Art forward. The Be Healed Foundation launched its ‘Art Forward’ project that aims to help women overcome drug addiction through art. Photo shows art instructor Jay Virina, foundation director and operations manager Alexandra Santos, foundation founder Jerika Ejercito and foundation physician Bian Leabas. MANNY PALMERO

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SC releases decision on Poe

By Rey E. Requejo PRESIDENTIAL candidate Senator Grace Poe is a natural-born citizen who will meet the 10-year residency requirement for the presidency preceding the May 9 general elections, according to the Supreme Court.

An AlDuB welcome. Thousands of Davao City residents, many of whom support the so-called Alyansang Duterte-Bongbong line the streets to greet Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.

Bongbong warns vs cheating

By Macon Ramos-Araneta VICE presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. warned on Friday that the rampant brownouts in various areas in the Mindanao region might enable unscrupulous politicians to manipulate the elections to frustrate the will of the voters.

“Of course we are closely monitoring the developments in the electoral process, particularly on the possibility such a scenario could occur,” said Marcos while campaigning in Kidapawan City. “I think the best thing every one of us can do is to be vigilant to protect the integrity of the elections.”

He made the call during his Unity Caravan in Mindanao, particularly in South and North Cotabato, where he was told of

rampant brownouts in various areas.

He had earlier expressed alarm over the series of bombings of transmission towers in Mindanao as it had led to brownouts in many areas.

Since last year, 18 transmission towers have been bombed by still unidentified individuals. Just last month, two transmission towers in Ilocos Norte were also attacked.

The senator had called for a more resolute action from the government, including law enforcement agencies, to stop the bombings and arrest those behind the attacks.

Marcos said in going around the country, he is not only campaigning but also organizing his supporters to closely monitor the electoral process and thwart any attempts at cheating.

Marcos also said the recent Supreme Court ruling, which ordered the Comelec to activate the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail features in the vote counting machines, will help ensure clean and honest elections.

Earlier, he urged the Comelec to immediately attend to the task of complying with the SC ruling even if it is contrary to the position taken by the poll body, given the limited time available before the elections. The Comelec is reportedly mulling to appeal the SC ruling.

“We must all insist that the Comelec should implement all the safeguards to the automated election as mandated by the law so that when all the votes are tallied, our citizens are confident that the results accurately reflect the will of the people,” Marcos said.

In a 47-page decision penned by Associate Justice Jose Perez, the SC held that the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion and declared Poe “qualified to be a candidate for president in the national and local elections of 9 May 2016.”

With this ruling, the high tribunal paved the way for the presidential frontrunner to pursue her presidential bid, reversing the Commission on Elections decisions disqualifying her for material misrepresentation in her eligibilities.

“All put together, in the matter of the citizenship and residence of petitioner for her candidacy as President of the Republic, the questioned Resolutions of the Comelec in division and [in full] are, one and all, deadly diseased with grave abuse of discretion from root to fruits,” the decision stated.

On the citizenship issue, the SC rejected the position of the poll body that foundlings like Poe cannot be considered natural-born because their parents are unknown and the blood lineage—as required by law—cannot be established.

It upheld the position of the solicitor general that there is a high possibility that her parents are Filipinos based on statistics.

“The presumption of natural-born citizenship of foundlings stems from the presumption that their parents are nationals of the Philippines. As the empirical data provided by the [Philippine Statistics Authority] show, that presumption is at more than 99 percent and is a virtual certainty,” the SC pointed out.

According to the tribunal, such presumption is supported by domestic and international laws, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“In sum, all of the international law conventions and instruments on the matter of nationality of foundlings were designed to address the plight of a defenseless class, which suffers from a misfortune not of their own making. We cannot be restrictive as to their application if we are a country, which calls itself civilized and a member of the community of nations,” the tribunal ruled.

GMA ruling extended anew

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has again extended for another 60 days its order suspending the plunder trial of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo before the Sandiganbayan.

In a three-page resolution, the SC extended until April 20 its status quo ante order halting the proceedings before the Sandiganbayan First Division, in connection with the alleged P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office fund anomaly. The SQA was supposed to lapse last Feb. 19.

This would mean that the trial against the ailing former leader will remain suspended until the tribunal rules on her bail petition.

It was the second time the SC extended the halt order initially issued in Oct. 20 last year for only 30 days.

On Nov. 24, the SC extended the SQA for 90 days or until Feb. 19.

Last December, the SC granted relief to Arroyo in her plea for house arrest while facing plunder trial by approving her plea for a holiday furlough and allowing her to spend Christmas and New Year with her family in their

house in La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City.

Arroyo filed a petition with the high court in April 2014 seeking reversal of the final ruling of the Sandiganbayan first division last February denying her bail plea. The office of the solicitor general has not yet answered the petition.

In October last year, the former leader reiterated her plea and asked the high tribunal to now rule on her case as she cited the recent report from the United Nations Technical Working Group on Arbitrary Detention recommending her release from detention.

The Beautiful Journey. Korean Ambassador Kim Jae Shin and guests cut the ribbon

to open The Beautiful Journey in the World art exhibit, featuring the work of Korean artists residing in the Philippines, at the Korean Cultural Center in Taguig City. The exhibit was opened by (from left) Czech Ambassador Jaroslav Olša Jr., Carla Kim, Korean Ambassador Kim Jae Shin, Cory Quirino, Connie Quirino, Kang Seung Joo and KCC director Oh Choong Suk.

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Ex-stock exchange employee appears at DoJ, denies scam

By Rey E. Requejo

FORMER Philippine Stock Exchange employee Jose Cecilio “Jay” Peñaflor on Friday showed up before the Department of Justice to deny the criminal charges filed by one of the victims of his alleged P100million investment scam.

Peñaflor with his lawyer attended the preliminary investigation and submitted his counter-affidavit on charges of violation of Article 315 (Swindling) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, in relation to Presidential Decree 1689 (Syndicated Estafa) filed by Joyce Marie Jao. Peñaflor’s brother, who was also charged in the same complaint, also formally denied the allegations.

In her complaint-affidavit, Jao alleged that the respondents enticed her into investing P4 million in stocks at ABS-CBN Corp. with a promised interest of “around 50 percent.” She said they have not paid her a total of P10 million in principal and interest.

Peñaflor was arrested last Feb. 16 by the NBI in an entrapment operation while collecting an additional investment of P500,000 from Jao. He was ordered released pending further investigation.

The prosecutor explained that the charges against Peñaflor pertained to “previous acts or past series of transactions that [Lao] had with respondent” and not for the act of receiving an additional investment of P500,000 for which he was arrested for by the NBI. Peñaflor avoided the media and immediately left the DoJ building after the hearing. His lawyer also declined to furnish the media of the

copy of his client’s formal answer submitted to investigating Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha.

In an interview, Parrocha disclosed that Peñaflor brothers denied the allegations in the complaint of Jao. “Basically, the two denied the charges. That’s a common defense of respondents,” the prosecutor said.

Parrocha also welcomed the appearance of Peñaflor brothers in the hearing. “The lawyer made an undertaking during the last hearing that his clients would appear. So somehow, they fulfilled that promise,” he said.

The prosecutor also clarified that the charges has not yet been dismissed or terminated despite his earlier order for the release of Peñaflor last month.

“The case has not been dismissed. Some people are thinking it was already dismissed because we allowed his temporary release, but that’s not the case,” he pointed out.

The three other respondents in the case—John Benedict Aguzar, Rafael Sigua, and a certain Mike—failed to appear during the hearing.

The prosecutor then set the next hearing on March 17 at 10 a.m. for the complainant’s submission of her reply-affidavit.

Similar complaints against Peñaflor have been filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office and the National Bureau of Investigation.

DFA brings home 19 unregistered children from Kuwait

By Vito Barcelo

Lookout bulletin. A branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. with her husband and son were asked to leave the Philippine Airlines aircraft to Narita, Japan they had boarded Friday afternoon. Maia de Guito was reportedly involved in the $81-million money laundering transaction involving the Bangladesh Bank. ERIC APOLONIO

AT LEAST 19 undocumented Filipino children in Kuwait were repatriated to the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

Most of the undocumented children were born out of wedlock while others had no residence visa as the residence visa of their parents expired, the DFA said.

Some of them were left behind by their mothers who had been repatriated earlier to the Philippines.

The repatriation was a joint cooperation between the Kuwait government and Philippine Embassy in Kuwait aims to curb the rising number of undocumented kids.

“The repatriation of undocumented kids continues and once again, we would like to thank the Ministry of Interior, the Kuwait Immigration Department for helping the embassy in repatriating the kids so they can finally start their life in the Philippines,” stated Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa.

The 19 repatriates together with their parents or guardians did not have to pass through the ‘Talha’ or deportation center but headed directly to the airport where they were accompanied by the embassy’s Assistance to Nationals Unit team led by Philippine Social Welfare Attaché Nilda Oliva, Case Officer Salahodin Tomas Magayan and Kuwait Immigration officials who assisted them at the airport check-in counter.

El Niño causes P5.3 billion in production losses

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

Selfie. Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez agrees to a selfie by students of Mariano Marcos State University in Agoo, La Union.

PRODUCTION losses caused by the prolonged dry spell already reached P5.32 billion as of March 7, the Agriculture Department said Friday.

DA said that the El Niño phenomenon already affected 237,214 hectares of agricultural lands and 129,137 farmers nationwide.

Damage to corn sector reached 223,785 metric tons valued at P2.9 billion.

DA said the prolonged dry spell likewise damaged 131,648 metric tons of rice with a total value of P2.4 billion.

Damage to high-value

crops reached P27.6 million while damage to livestock amounted to P11,477.

DA said it already conducted a massive information and education drive to create awareness on the El Niño phenomenon and its impact on food and agriculture, and health and the environment.

The Department is also encouraging the maximization of production in nonvulnerable areas.

DA said its Regional Field Offices already distributed 3,059 bags of hybrid seeds, 24,066 bags of rice certified seeds, 150 bags of soil ameliorants, and crop insurance to affected farmers.

“For corn, RFOs distributed hybrid seeds, OPV seeds and yellow corn,” DA said.

DA said it also distributed drought-resistant assorted vegetable seeds to augment food support and additional income.

For the livestock sector, DA also provided vaccines and various vet drugs and biologics.

To address water scarcity in vulnerable areas due to low water levels in reservoirs, DA distributed units of pump irrigation equipment for open source or replecement for damaged pumps.

The Department also distributed shallow tube wells and constructed small water impounding and diversion dams.

S AT U R D AY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Loakan airport to remain for general aviation

By Dexter A. See

Reminder. The Yolanda shipwreck memorial is now a top tourist attraction in Tacloban. MEL CASPE

PNP dispatches Special Action Force to Masbate

By Francisco Tuyay

AS KILLINGS rock Masbate ahead of the May 2016 elections, the Philippine National Police has decided to dispatch a company of Special Action Force in Masbate amid the increasing tensions in the province brought about by persistent harassment by Private Armed Groups and criminal elements among the civilian populace.

PNP Chief Ricardo Marquez said the sending of SAF personnel in Masbate aims to quell persistent stalking of PAGs and criminal syndicates among civilians which so far resulted to the killing

of three persons, including two village officials in Jacinto town in Ticao island last month.

“We have deployed a regional special operations task group in Masbate to address the

concerns of the residents there,” Marquez said.

Among those killed in the recent violence taking place in Masbate were identified village officials barangay captain Rey Ecabo, his councilman Robert Almodiel and 16-year-old Jay Almoradiel.

The killing took place inside the residence of Ecabo in Barangay Bartolabac on Feb. 4.

In view of the disturbing security situation, Marquez flew to Masbate on Sunday to personally assess the present security situation in preparation for the upcoming elections.

Marquez’s deployment of additional police forces in Masbate came due to numerous complaints by residents being harassed by armed groups.

“The residents want additional policemen in their communities because they are being harassed,” Marquez said.

Three influential politicians are slugging it out for the gubernatorial post and has been declared by the Commission on Elections as hotspot.

“We have a good preparation there. The PNP and the AFP have synergized their efforts, although we

really have challenges there,” Marquez said attributing the peace and order mess to the existence of PAGs. The deployment of a company of commandos should beef up the law enforcement operations and other election-related security efforts being undertaken by members of the Regional Special Operations Task Group.

Marquez also challenged Masbate “to perform better during election time” by ensuring it would have peaceful and orderly elections, days after the arrest of a gun for hire suspect last Friday.

BAGUIO CITY—Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya announced that the 1.6-kilometer Loakan airport remain for general aviation to support the air transport requirements of the Philippine Military Academy, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and other major businesses in the city.

Secretary Abaya said that matter on the commercial operation of the airport will be left to the discretion of the commercial airlines wanting to service the Manila-Baguio-Manila air route.

“We have to maintain the Loakan airport for general aviation but it will now be up to the airline companies if they want to service the route amidst geographic issues and the absence of appropriate airport facilities,” Secretary Abaya added.

However, the DoTC official failed to outline whether or not the government will be implementing projects that will upgrade the units of equipment in the airport to convince commercial airline companies to consider servicing the route.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said that the rehabilitation of the Loakan airport is not part of the projects that it lined up for the development of the different domestic and international airports in the different parts of the country.

‘Anti-corruption drive under Aquino, De Lima a mere political gimmick’

Unique prints. Students in Kidapawan City put some prints on T-shirts.

GEONARRI O. SOLMERANO

THE party-list group Sanlakas hit the selective and sluggish progress of the anti-graft cases in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund and accused the administration, especially former Justice secretary and now LP senatorial candidate Leila de Lima, of using its so-called anti-corruption campaign to attack opponents of the incumbent Liberal Party.

Labor leader and Sanlakas party-list 1st nominee Leody de Guzman said that the past five-plus years have proven that the Liberal Party’s 2010 battlecry “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” has been exposed as “a cheap political trick.”

“In 2010, it was a mere electoral stunt to win over voters who were disgusted over the scandal-riddled Arroyo re-

gime. Since then, not only was it a simple propaganda tool to attack the rivals of the ruling LP,” said De Guzman.

“More so, for almost six years, it became a sickening repetitive mantra meant to conjure an illusion of anticorruption reforms under Noynoy Aquino,” added the labor leader.

De Guzman said that the administration almost succeeded in fooling the people, but the handling of De Lima of the Napoles multibillion-peso PDAF scam and the subsequent controversy surrounding the Development Acceleration Program—struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional—had exposed the Aquino government’s true colors.

Anti-PDAF advocate Atty.

Levi Baligod had earlier impli-

cated 14 senators, 120 congress representatives, and several bogus NGOs in the pork barrel scam. However, under the watch of former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, cases were only filed against three opposition senators and 25 members of the House of Representatives. Since then, only an additional five former congressmen have been charged by the Ombudsman.

“Malacañang cannot rightfully claim even an iota of fulfillment to its much-avowed anti-corruption mandate,” stressed De Guzman.

“Even after almost six years in office, the Filipino people know that corruption is still rampant in virtually all levels of the bureaucracy. As such, corruption remains as a major issue in the upcoming May elections.”

S AT U R D AY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

THE COMELEC’S ILLEGAL ACTS MUST END

[ EDI TORI A L ]

‘COUNTRY ABOVE SELF’

THE phrase ‘country above self ’ became popular several months ago when it was used in a movie about General Antonio Luna. In the film, the general asked this question of Filipino politicians who sided with the colonizers for their convenience and profit.

This week, President Benigno Aquino III used these words again as he addressed the 2016 class of the Philippine National Police Academy. He advised the graduates to shun temptation and put country above self as they perform their duties.

“Crooked ways are a thing of the past,” the President said, as he asked the 253 graduates to ensure clean and peaceful elections. He reminded them not to compromise their principles for the promise of payoffs or promotions.

We find it odd that Mr. Aquino would harp on putting country above self while talking to the young policemen when the most glaring issue involving the police had not yet been put to rest. In January last year, 44 members of the Special Action Force were left to die as they went on a mission to arrest terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. For certain, these men put country above self when they pursued the suspects amid the danger they faced.

But the government which they served appeared to be out for its own interest. The ensuing cover-up aimed to shield those responsible from the consequences of their decisions. The incident remains unresolved, overtaken by the urgency of other concerns such as the need to ensure victory this May. This administration is known for its frequent reference to the straight path. It likes to portray itself as the personification of enlightenment, while depicting its critics and adversaries as enemies of reform. Everything that took place before the President’s term was an episode in the dark.

We do not know how the PNPA graduates reacted to this exhortation by the President. Chances are, over the course of their careers, some will perform better than others while some will make poorer choices than their peers.

However they turn out to be, this next batch of police officers will have to come to terms with mixed signals from their President who proclaims virtue but does not seem so keen on living it.

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO THE Supreme Court, via a 9-6 decision, ruled that Senator Grace Poe is eligible to run for the presidency. The decision came on March 8, International Women’s Day. Reports have it that Poe, in a women’s day rally, said that the SC decision is “tagumpay ng mga inaapi, tagumpay ng mga kababaihan! (victory for the oppressed, victory for women!)”

As of this writing, the votes

of individual SC members have been made public but the document explaining the decision has yet to be released. What we know for now is that the Justices crossed “party lines” in casting their votes. Their appointing power did not seem to matter.

If this is true, I say, this is good for our democracy. No matter if many of us do not always agree with SC decisions like in the case of granting bail to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, independent thinkers are what we need in the high court.

As expected, the decision drew mixed reactions. If social media is a gauge, while many seem to want to put the issue to

rest, not a few rant against the SC. The tone of those who disagree with the Court is one of anger, generally. I do not doubt that among them are those who really believe that the Constitution has been misinterpreted by the magistrates. However, I also know that many criticize the SC due to political reasons—they know that this is bad news for their candidates who are up against Poe. Her opponents’ camps know that her being in the race spells big problems for their candidates. Her disqualification would have meant millions of votes up for grabs. With the SC junking the disqualification

A9

Now that the SC has given her the go signal, I will not be surprised if Poe’s numbers shoot up even more.

cases though, this is not going to happen. They should now work double time to increase their bets’ chances of winning.

It is also not surprising that those who filed disqualification cases against the senator plan to appeal the ruling. While this is their right, I would rather that everyone now should move on and concentrate on their respective campaigns. There is an election to win and I do not think that the SC will reverse its decision on this.

What Poe went through, how she handled the issues, how the disqualification cases impacted on her numbers, and how the SC decision will affect her candidacy is one interesting story.

Months earlier, even before Poe decided to run for the highest office, I wrote about the

Poe magic, and it seems that the spell holds.

Surely, Poe was stressed to the max these past months dealing with the campaign, the DQ cases she faced, and the stones thrown at her and her family. She did not falter. She addressed the issues head on without stooping down to disrespectful exchanges like what happened between Roxas and Duterte.

She did not dignify black propaganda but instead remained focused on issues, and in articulating her message to the people. She continued to go where the people are and did not disappear

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

when the sailing got rough.

Grace Poe was under trial. She was put to a test beyond citizenship. It was a test of her will, disposition, nerves, the kind of person she is. Unwittingly, her detractors made people see how tough Poe is. In the end they did her a favor.

She was grace under pressure. Poe displayed nerves of steel. She showed resoluteness. Poe is a fighter. From where I sit, these are good leadership qualities that the country can use a lot of. After all, Malacañang is not exactly an easy office to have.

Despite the stumbling blocks, Poe’s

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

standing in polls has been steady. Even with the uncertainty of her candidacy being upheld by the SC that could have made people hesitate, she has been consistently topping survey results. I actually expected her numbers to go down especially since it took a while before the SC decided. The fact that she succeeded in sustaining her leading position in surveys can only mean that she has genuine public support— the kind that is not easily swayed by opponents’ propaganda.

Continued on A11

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

REPUBLIC Act No. 9369, or the Automated Elections System Law, explicitly mandates that every automated voting machine used in an election shall generate a voter’s receipt, which shall confirm that the voter’s electronic ballot was properly tallied. In order for the voting machine to issue the required voter’s receipt, the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail function of the voting machine must be activated. When the VVPAT function is activated, the voter’s receipt will be issued to the voter automatically.

The VVPAT is designed to reduce, if not eliminate, computerized fraud in the electronic canvass of votes. While the VVPAT is not a fail-safe guaranty of a fraud-free election canvass, it is expected to make election fraud more difficult to commit.

In the national and local elections held in 2010 and 2013, the voting machines did not issue any voter’s receipts despite the clear mandate of the law. Why not?

It appears that the Commission on Elections disabled, or allowed the disabling of, the VVPAT function of all voting machines. Nobody noticed this anomaly, and the Comelec twice got away with an infraction of the law.

Last month, ex-Senator Richard Gordon, who is running for the Senate in the May 2016 polls, exposed to the news media this anomaly twice perpetrated by the Comelec against the electorate. He urged the poll body to comply with the law once and for all by activating the VVPAT function of the voting machines to be used in the coming elections.

Surprisingly, however, the Comelec rejected Gordon’s plea and opted instead for on-screen verification, a process where the electronic screen of the voting machine will indicate for 15 seconds the names of the candidates the voter marked in his electronic ballot. To justify this new but illegal measure, the Comelec said that activating the VVPAT will delay the voting process on election day by several hours.

In effect, the Comelec said that it will not comply with the law because to do so will extend the voting hours on election day.

Where did the Comelec get that excuse? There is nothing in Republic Act No. 9369, or in any existing law for that matter, which allows the Comelec to disobey the law simply because the voting hours will be extended if the law is obeyed. Likewise, there is nothing in the Constitution which allows the Comelec to disregard a clear mandate of an election law. In fact, the Constitution provides that the Comelec must enforce all laws relating to elections. There are no ifs or buts about that.

Displeased with the action taken by the Comelec, Gordon elevated the issue to the Supreme Court.

Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

THE COMELEC’S ILLEGAL ACTS MUST END

[ EDI TORI A L ]

‘COUNTRY ABOVE SELF’

THE phrase ‘country above self ’ became popular several months ago when it was used in a movie about General Antonio Luna. In the film, the general asked this question of Filipino politicians who sided with the colonizers for their convenience and profit.

This week, President Benigno Aquino III used these words again as he addressed the 2016 class of the Philippine National Police Academy. He advised the graduates to shun temptation and put country above self as they perform their duties.

“Crooked ways are a thing of the past,” the President said, as he asked the 253 graduates to ensure clean and peaceful elections. He reminded them not to compromise their principles for the promise of payoffs or promotions.

We find it odd that Mr. Aquino would harp on putting country above self while talking to the young policemen when the most glaring issue involving the police had not yet been put to rest. In January last year, 44 members of the Special Action Force were left to die as they went on a mission to arrest terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. For certain, these men put country above self when they pursued the suspects amid the danger they faced.

But the government which they served appeared to be out for its own interest. The ensuing cover-up aimed to shield those responsible from the consequences of their decisions. The incident remains unresolved, overtaken by the urgency of other concerns such as the need to ensure victory this May. This administration is known for its frequent reference to the straight path. It likes to portray itself as the personification of enlightenment, while depicting its critics and adversaries as enemies of reform. Everything that took place before the President’s term was an episode in the dark.

We do not know how the PNPA graduates reacted to this exhortation by the President. Chances are, over the course of their careers, some will perform better than others while some will make poorer choices than their peers.

However they turn out to be, this next batch of police officers will have to come to terms with mixed signals from their President who proclaims virtue but does not seem so keen on living it.

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO THE Supreme Court, via a 9-6 decision, ruled that Senator Grace Poe is eligible to run for the presidency. The decision came on March 8, International Women’s Day. Reports have it that Poe, in a women’s day rally, said that the SC decision is “tagumpay ng mga inaapi, tagumpay ng mga kababaihan! (victory for the oppressed, victory for women!)”

As of this writing, the votes

of individual SC members have been made public but the document explaining the decision has yet to be released. What we know for now is that the Justices crossed “party lines” in casting their votes. Their appointing power did not seem to matter.

If this is true, I say, this is good for our democracy. No matter if many of us do not always agree with SC decisions like in the case of granting bail to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, independent thinkers are what we need in the high court.

As expected, the decision drew mixed reactions. If social media is a gauge, while many seem to want to put the issue to

rest, not a few rant against the SC. The tone of those who disagree with the Court is one of anger, generally. I do not doubt that among them are those who really believe that the Constitution has been misinterpreted by the magistrates. However, I also know that many criticize the SC due to political reasons—they know that this is bad news for their candidates who are up against Poe. Her opponents’ camps know that her being in the race spells big problems for their candidates. Her disqualification would have meant millions of votes up for grabs. With the SC junking the disqualification

A9

Now that the SC has given her the go signal, I will not be surprised if Poe’s numbers shoot up even more.

cases though, this is not going to happen. They should now work double time to increase their bets’ chances of winning.

It is also not surprising that those who filed disqualification cases against the senator plan to appeal the ruling. While this is their right, I would rather that everyone now should move on and concentrate on their respective campaigns. There is an election to win and I do not think that the SC will reverse its decision on this.

What Poe went through, how she handled the issues, how the disqualification cases impacted on her numbers, and how the SC decision will affect her candidacy is one interesting story.

Months earlier, even before Poe decided to run for the highest office, I wrote about the

Poe magic, and it seems that the spell holds.

Surely, Poe was stressed to the max these past months dealing with the campaign, the DQ cases she faced, and the stones thrown at her and her family. She did not falter. She addressed the issues head on without stooping down to disrespectful exchanges like what happened between Roxas and Duterte.

She did not dignify black propaganda but instead remained focused on issues, and in articulating her message to the people. She continued to go where the people are and did not disappear

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

when the sailing got rough.

Grace Poe was under trial. She was put to a test beyond citizenship. It was a test of her will, disposition, nerves, the kind of person she is. Unwittingly, her detractors made people see how tough Poe is. In the end they did her a favor.

She was grace under pressure. Poe displayed nerves of steel. She showed resoluteness. Poe is a fighter. From where I sit, these are good leadership qualities that the country can use a lot of. After all, Malacañang is not exactly an easy office to have.

Despite the stumbling blocks, Poe’s

5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

standing in polls has been steady. Even with the uncertainty of her candidacy being upheld by the SC that could have made people hesitate, she has been consistently topping survey results. I actually expected her numbers to go down especially since it took a while before the SC decided. The fact that she succeeded in sustaining her leading position in surveys can only mean that she has genuine public support— the kind that is not easily swayed by opponents’ propaganda.

Continued on A11

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

REPUBLIC Act No. 9369, or the Automated Elections System Law, explicitly mandates that every automated voting machine used in an election shall generate a voter’s receipt, which shall confirm that the voter’s electronic ballot was properly tallied. In order for the voting machine to issue the required voter’s receipt, the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail function of the voting machine must be activated. When the VVPAT function is activated, the voter’s receipt will be issued to the voter automatically.

The VVPAT is designed to reduce, if not eliminate, computerized fraud in the electronic canvass of votes. While the VVPAT is not a fail-safe guaranty of a fraud-free election canvass, it is expected to make election fraud more difficult to commit.

In the national and local elections held in 2010 and 2013, the voting machines did not issue any voter’s receipts despite the clear mandate of the law. Why not?

It appears that the Commission on Elections disabled, or allowed the disabling of, the VVPAT function of all voting machines. Nobody noticed this anomaly, and the Comelec twice got away with an infraction of the law.

Last month, ex-Senator Richard Gordon, who is running for the Senate in the May 2016 polls, exposed to the news media this anomaly twice perpetrated by the Comelec against the electorate. He urged the poll body to comply with the law once and for all by activating the VVPAT function of the voting machines to be used in the coming elections.

Surprisingly, however, the Comelec rejected Gordon’s plea and opted instead for on-screen verification, a process where the electronic screen of the voting machine will indicate for 15 seconds the names of the candidates the voter marked in his electronic ballot. To justify this new but illegal measure, the Comelec said that activating the VVPAT will delay the voting process on election day by several hours.

In effect, the Comelec said that it will not comply with the law because to do so will extend the voting hours on election day.

Where did the Comelec get that excuse? There is nothing in Republic Act No. 9369, or in any existing law for that matter, which allows the Comelec to disobey the law simply because the voting hours will be extended if the law is obeyed. Likewise, there is nothing in the Constitution which allows the Comelec to disregard a clear mandate of an election law. In fact, the Constitution provides that the Comelec must enforce all laws relating to elections. There are no ifs or buts about that.

Displeased with the action taken by the Comelec, Gordon elevated the issue to the Supreme Court.

Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10

S AT U R D AY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

ROTTEN AND UNPALATABLE BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN THERE is no reason that we should rejoice at the rotten decision rendered by the Supreme Court giving a green light to a former alien to run for the highest position of the land. It was an insult to the entire Filipino people who are supposed to honorably defend being called Filipino citizens. The decision is both unprecedented and disgraceful because never in its illustrious history has the august body come out with such a shoddy and bankrupt verdict reversing the decision of the Commission on Elections by a vote of 9-6 in favor of Grace Poe’s eligibility to run for the office with high court telling the people to wait for the issuance of their written decision.

On top of that, the high court gave the go signal despite the glaring findings that she committed material misrepresentation of being a citizen and allegedly fulfilling the residency requirement.

The justices who voted in favor of Poe truly made a fool of themselves.

Many patriotic Filipinos are in rage because they feel the decision effectively reduced them to idiots blindly concurring with that rotten ruling as though it was handed to them by gods in the temple of Parthenon, unmindful that it is equally soaked with suspicion of corruption. The public, through the social media, cannot hide its outrage and contempt at the manner in which our supposedly honorable magistrates trashed our Constitution.

The decision was apologetic to the cause of what many believe is a “Manchurian candidate” of the US and the oligarchy. To forgive her act of committing material misrepresentation or to put it bluntly,

her commission of perjury can never be interpreted as an honest mistake. Those miserable justices who voted to condone her act betrayed their duty to defend the Constitution from all attempts to distort it.

The Filipino people have yet to read that crafted decision that is meant to deceive the people of her claim of having complied with the Constitution even if they would residually come out with a mangled interpretation of the charter. Those lousy magistrates, in truth, amended by judicial legislation the Constitution, for effectively they trashed Section 2, Article VII of the Constitution requiring that a candidate for President should be a natural born citizen, and that he or she has complied with the residency requirement of 10 years’ stay in the Philippines immediately preceding such election.

As one lawyer would ask, how could those lousy magistrates vote to reverse the decision of the Commission on Elections on the ground of grave abuse of discretion when it should be Grace Poe who should explain before the high court the findings of the Comelec that “she committed material misrepresentation in her CoC, and to escape responsibility, conveniently changed her story in the subsequent CoC” which she filed. Those contemptible justices placed the high court on the defensive when it entertained the petition on the basis of grave abuse of discretion thereby reducing them to the status of lawyers for Poe who was disqualified by the Comelec.

Poe does not stand as wholly innocent to claim lack of due process because she now carries the burden of proving otherwise, that she did not commit such material misrepresentation. In fact, that finding made by the Comelec should have been respected by the high court, as it is not a trier of facts, but the ultimate interpreter of what the Constitution provides.

The high court should have stuck to the findings of facts by the Comelec.

Alas, instead of giving respect and credit to the findings of the Comelec, it usurped the power of the Comelec, and worse, went beyond by speculating and assuming Poe did not deliberately intend to mislead, misinform or hide the facts to lend credence

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA AS PART of the work being done to support implementation of the historic commitments made at the climate change conference in Paris last December, 2015, The Climate Reality Project is hosting a climate leadership training event in Manila, next Monday through Wednesday, March 14 to 16. The Climate Reality Project, founded by former United States Vice President Al Gore, works to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every level of society.

The training event, led

by Mr. Gore himself, will provide new Climate Reality Leaders with the knowledge and tools to build public awareness of the climate crisis and inspire action to solve it. Speakers will include experts like myself, Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jose T. Villarin, and Biodiversity Management Bureau Theresa Mundita Lim, government leaders such as Senator Loren Legarda, Climate Change Commission vice chair Emmanuel de Guzman, Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez, and young voices like my friends Mima Mendoza and Bea Tulagan. Aside from Mr. Gore, other international experts will be sharing their insights, including professor Don Henry from Australia, Ken Berlin and Mario Molina of the Climate Reality Project, and Preety Bhandari of the Asian Development Bank.

Maria Ressa of Rappler will also be a speaker as comto her claim but merely committed an honest mistake when clearly she committed perjury to fraudulently claim eligibility for the office.

The court should objectively judge the case on the basis of the evidence presented. It has no business extending to her the liberality of honest mistake and good faith because she is running for the highest office of the land of which the fate and future of the more than 100 million Filipinos would be in the hands of one who have a doubtful and questionable loyalty. The court should only apply the law as stated in her affidavit and of the evidence she presented. It cannot go on reading what’s in her mind. To quote Justice Mariano del Castillo, “These statements could even be interpreted as part of Poe’s misrepresentation regarding her qualification and eligibil-

WELCOMING AL GORE TO MANILA munication skills for effective climate advocacy is emphasized in this training where topics such as resiliency and adaptation in the Philippines, the important role of conservation in combatting climate change, and the revolutionary potential of clean energy are included.

So far, The Climate Reality Leadership Corps has trained thousands of Climate Reality Leaders from 135 countries to become effective agents of change within their communities and their nations, most recently hosting trainings in Miami, Toronto, Cedar Rapids, and New Delhi.

More than 300 Filipinos will be participating in the training. I am grateful to Rodne Galicha, the Philippine organizer, for allowing several of my colleagues at the Ateneo School of Government to participate in the training.

The timing of the training is great as the Philippines and the world prepares to implement the Paris Agreement, a good document whose consequences will last generations. While this legally binding agreement in itself is not enough to solve the climate crisis, it as strong, ambitious, and as equitable as it can be for an agreement that required consensus by 196 countries— a positive beginning to a long and hard journey towards climate justice.

As I mentioned in my last column, the Preamble of the Paris Agreement is unprecedented for its kind.

Never has a legally bindity to run for president...

Poe should have made the correction “at the earliest opportunity before the proper forum.”

Most damaging, “Poe failed to present evidence that would show she had intended to reestablish a new domicile in the Philippines prior to taking her oath of allegiance to the Philippines on July 7, 2006.

Since the petitioner took her oath of allegiance in July 2006 and renounced her US citizenship in October 2010, both less than 10 years prior to the May 9 elections, she could no longer prove compliance with the 10-year residency requirement.” Del Castillo added, “Poe’s claim was “shrouded in doubt” in light of her maintaining a house in the US, which she bought in 1992, and the subsequent purchase of a residential house in the US in 2008, three years after her claimed intent

ing document outside of human rights treaties had strong preambular language emphasizing the importance of human rights.

As Mima and I pointed out in an article we wrote for Nivela: “Such language is a strong acknowledgment of the incontrovertible link between climate change and human rights.

This was a huge win for the Philippines, as it had begun championing human rights in the climate change negotiations beginning COP20 in Lima.”

Mima and I also observed how the term “climate justice” is now part of the climate regime; the first time this important concept found its way into a legally binding, multilateral document. For us, this explicit inclusion of climate justice is a big step forward.

For the Philippines and other vulnerable countries, the most significant achievement in Paris is the reference to a temperature goal of below 1.5ºC in the objective of the agreement (Article 2). As the chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, we were instrumental in ensuring that below 1.5ºC would have a place in the agreement. For us, the difference between 1.5ºC and 2ºC is serious and existential—it means the disappearance of islands, of entire countries, and the loss of millions of lives.

1.5ºC is a matter of survival, and its inclusion in the new climate agreement is the fine line between life and death for the most climate vulnerable countries.

These elements, among

the many that make up the Paris Agreement, is what makes this legally binding document historic and revolutionary. While no one is under the illusion that what states achieved in COP21 will solve the climate crisis, its outcome is certainly a strong and unified signal to the world that all countries are ready to move forward with their climate commitments, and in the future increase ambition to achieve the goals and the objectives of both the Paris Agreement and the Convention.

The Philippines was crucial in creating the strongest possible outcome for Paris. As previously mentioned, the country began championing human rights in the new climate agreement since COP20 in Lima, Peru, and at that time the Philippines was the sole voice advocating this issue. In Paris however, the Philippines was joined by countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, among many others, in lobbying for the inclusion of human rights language in the final document. The final push prior to the adoption of the agreement was a letter submitted to COP president Laurent Fabius that sought out strong human rights language in the outcome, peoples, and ensuring ecosystems integrity, and climate justice.

For the Philippines, this is an important agreement, as climate change is more than just an Continued on A11

to remain in the country for an indefinite period of time.”

He went on to state that “Poe’s stay in the Philippines starting from May 24, 2005 was not permanent and could not be included in counting the length of her residency because she arrived here as an alien with a balikbayan visa. It was merely temporary. At most, her stay in the Philippines would only be for one year (under Republic Act 6768). This only proves that her stay was not impressed with animus manendi, i.e. the intent to remain in or at the domicile of choice for an indefinite period of time.”

The justices who voted in favor of Poe truly made a fool of themselves by interpreting the Constitution to accommodate one ambitious alien who is suspected to be a stooge of the moneyed-class. Even as senator, she already exhib-

ited her hubris to ignore the cry for justice of the people by her stubborn refusal to submit a report of the Senate Investigation of the Mamasapano murder of the SAF 44 members in abeyance to the wish of her now broker-patron.

The courts can, in fact, decide to deny her Filipino citizenship because the grant of citizenship is a matter of privilege that it can even be denied to her even if there is no finding that she committed material misrepresentation and falsification. But how could she, when as found out, she committed martial misrepresentation about her eligibility? Poe is not only unworthy of becoming a citizen, but that our lousy justices led the way for her to make a travesty of our Constitution by letting us swallow their rotten and unpalatable decision. rpkapunan@gmail.com

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MAIL MATTERS

Grace... From A9

PHILHEALTH’S FINANCES ARE ROBUST, HEALTHY AND SUBSTANTIAL WE WOULD like to clarify some news reports that came out this week that might have caused panic among our members, especially where the stability of the health insurance funds is concerned.

PhilHealth’s finances are as robust, healthy and substantial as ever. Proof of this is our ability to pay for the benefit claims of our members at an amount that has been steadily growing over the last five years. In 2011, we paid about P34 billion; about P44 billion in 2012; up to P55 billion in 2013, P77 billion in 2014 and about P97 billion in 2015.

While we paid P1 billion more than what we collected in premium contributions in 2015, we gained about P7 billion from investment income, resulting in positive numbers still. Thus, there is no reason for our mem-

The Comelec’s... From A9 Fortunately for the electorate, the Court sided with Gordon. Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Comelec to cause the issuance of the corresponding voting machinegenerated voter’s receipt to each voter casting his electronic ballot in the May 2016 polls. To make sure that vote-buyers will be unable to monitor who a voter voted for, the Court instructed the Comelec to make sure that after the voter’s receipt is inspected and confirmed by the voter, the voter’s receipt shall be deposited in a separate ballot box which shall not be taken out of the voting area.

Instead of accepting its fault, the Comelec brazenly asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision. The Comelec also told the news media that it did not expect the Supreme Court to decide the Gordon case the

Welcoming... From A10 environmental, social, political, and economic issue for our country—it is an issue of survival. It is an issue of the very existence of the Filipino people.

And while the world has finally agreed to act together on climate change, the actual work to reach the goals that have been set in the Paris Agreement has only just begun. For the Philippines specifically, we must accelerate

bers and other stakeholders to worry about our capacity to meet our obligations.

At the same time, our reserve funds have been growing steadily, too, from about P112 billion in 2012 to P128 billion in 2015. We are mandated to maintain a reserve fund level equivalent to two years so that we can readily address our members’ needs should any eventuality happen. While other social protection programs maintain probably higher levels of reserve funds, we operate on a

pay-as-you-go system where we immediately translate what we collect into benefit payments for our members.

We appeal to our media partners to carefully understand how the National Health Insurance Program works so that our members are constantly assured of PhilHealth’s capability to keep up with commitment to the 93-million strong Filipinos who rely on the NHIP for their health coverage.

ALEXANDER PADILLA President and CEO Philippine Health Insurance Corporation CityState Centre, 709 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City www.philhealth.gov.ph

way it did.

By seeking a reconsideration of the ruling of the Supreme Court, the Comelec wants exemption from compliance with the law. The other constitutional commissions— the Civil Service Commission and the Commission on Audit— are required to obey the law.

Why should the Comelec enjoy a special exemption?

The refusal of the Comelec to accept its defeat in the Gordon case is not an isolated case of non-compliance with the law. It reveals a continuing propensity of the Comelec to openly disregard the law, and to do what it feels like doing. Evidently, the Comelec has come to regard itself as an omnipotent superbody exempted from any and all restraints imposed by the Constitution or existing laws. This is seen in many recent actuations on the part of the Comelec.

Take, for instance, the party-

list election system. The law requires every party-list group participating in the election for Congress to submit the names of five persons (nominees) who are to assume office for the party-list group concerned in the event that it obtains the requisite number of votes nationwide. In turn, these names are made available to voter scrutiny during the election period.

This list is important because under the law, once the list is submitted to the Comelec, the names cannot be changed. Under this arrangement, therefore, a winning party-list group cannot sell its seats to interested persons and then pass off these persons as the party-list group’s legitimate candidates. This way as well, the stealthy breeding of political dynasties can be monitored and, hopefully, prevented.

Late last year, however, the Comelec announced that it will no longer be requiring party-list

groups to submit its list of nominees. As a result, the number of party-list groups has increased, and unscrupulous party-list groups are even more determined to win as many seats as they can, and to eventually sell these seats to the highest bidders.

Another example is the illegal plan of the Comelec to allow voting in private shopping malls. Under the Omnibus Election Law, a voting center cannot be established inside a private building or a building under the actual control of a private entity. The law has an exception, though—a voting center may be established inside a private school building only if no suitable public building is available.

It’s time the Comelec commissioners put a stop to their illegal acts and measures. If they don’t, then they may be inviting possible impeachment raps under the incoming administration.

our efforts to adapt effectively to climate change while transitioning rapidly to a low-emissions economy.

In Paris, the Philippines submitted an ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution—to reduce our business as usual emissions by 70 percent in 2030.

That’s equivalent, in my view, to a 10-percent reduction of current levels. It’s a challenging target to achieve and that is why we made it conditional on assistance. But it

is doable if we put our minds to the tasks ahead, in particular capping the role of coal in our energy mix while increasing the share of renewables from geothermal to solar, wind, and other sources.

The show of force, commitment, cooperation, and solidarity to adopt this agreement in Paris is impressive and inspiring, but this document’s worth on paper cannot be measured by its words alone. Only the genuine effort, ambition, and successful climate

action that the agreement inspires can the world truly say that the Paris Agreement has fulfilled what it set out to do. But until then, there is much work to be done.

The Climate Reality Project and Mr. Gore with his colleagues will help us to get this done. We welcome them to Manila with gratitude.

#FAILOCRACY

Facebook: Dean Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs

Now that the SC has given her the go signal, I will not be surprised if Poe’s numbers shoot up even more. Other camps are well aware of this, so she should expect more stones thrown her way.

Demolition jobs will be meaner, for sure. In my opinion, Poe should continue showing people that she is not a pushover—turn this campaign into an opportunity to give the country a snapshot of how she will be as a president.

As a women’s rights advocate, I find it auspicious that the SC chose to decide on Poe’s fate on International Women’s Day. Of the presidential candidates, apart from Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago who needs a miracle to win, and Mayor Digong Duterte, only Poe can be considered prowomen’s rights.

Of the three, however, I am most hopeful with Poe. She is young, a mother, and educated in a more progressive environment. Poe said that she is open to other ways of thinking, to out-ofthe-box solutions to problems. I am hoping that she is less bound to traditional ways of looking at women being a modern woman herself. Emphasizing women’s rights in her campaign, especially those of community women, will make her relevant to more voters. She is the only candidate that can credibly champion women’s rights. If I am correct here, she should capitalize on this and more votes from women can follow.

Beyond what has already been presented to the public, I, and other groups I know, are waiting for Poe to say that she will fully fund and implement the reproductive health (RH) law; that reproductive rights is in her agenda, and this includes divorce; that violence against women (VAW) will be effectively dealt with; that ordinary Filipino women will have equal employment and livelihood opportunities with their male counterparts; that being gender responsive will be integrated in our educational system, and that women will be capacitated to become active citizens in their communities, among others.

Women would like to see her champion us. There will be detractors, of course, but if she wants to, she can do this with grace under pressure. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

CHONG ARDIVILLA

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

F2 Logistics eyes key win Games Today (Batangas City Sports Center) 1 p.m. - New San Jose Builders vs Petron 3 p.m. - F2 Logistics vs Cignal

Mixed doubles’ open champions Jessie Francisco and Peter Gabriel Magnaye are shown with other podium placers of the 9th Prima Pasta Badminton Championship. With them are (from left) Alex Lim, runners-up Alvin Morada, Alyssa Leonardo and third placers Miggy Leonardo and Flo Lamigo, and Keeyan Gabuelo and Steff Aquino.

Magnaye, Francisco top Prima meet PETER Gabriel Magnaye and Jessie Francisco outlasted fellow national players Alvin Morada and Alyssa Leonardo to cop the mixed doubles’ open title of 9th Prima Pasta Badminton Championship recently at the Powersmash Badminton Center in Makati City.

Magnaye and Francisco bucked a lethargic start to post a 15-21, 21-19, 21-17 win over Morada and Leonardo to rule the annual tournament participated by 2,000 players nationwide and organized by Alex Lim. The tournament was supported by Smart, Boysen Paints, Mabz Builders, Monocrete Construction, Morning Star Milling, ILO Construction, Pioneer Insurance, Promax, Babolat, Vitwater, Regent Foods Corp., and Del Monte Fit N Right .

The competition was also backed by Jones Lang LaSalle Leechiu, Jose Siao Ling & Associates, Goldilocks, Mega Subic Terminal Services Inc., Sincere Construction, U2 Electrical, United Colourtech, Wl-An Aluminium, Window One, Waterlite Engineering, Unitech Industrial Sales, Ultracote, Amstar, NCS Builders, Unipak Plastics & Containers, GCI Industries, Belarmino & Associates, and Sidel Industrial.

In other mixed doubles finals’ results, Mike Minuluan and Aires Montilla beat John Reyes and Anna Barredo, 1821, 21-8, 21-9, to capture the class A crown; Gregg Paz and Flo Lamigo outplayed Orlan Ticala and Kristelle Dawn Salatan, 21-18, 17-21, 21-19, to bag the class B trophy; Cavel Pajarillo and Camille Gotohio won over Juan Miguel Santiago and Airish Macalino, 21-11, 21-18, to get the class C crown; and Chris Sanchez and Patrice Israel beat Adrian Alvero and Gilly Chavez, 21-17, 22-20, to gain the class D title.

BATANGAS CITY—F2 Logistics’ intensifies its quest for a slot in the final round as it clashes with a dangerous Cignal squad Saturday in the 2016 PLDT Home Ultera Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference women’s volleyball tournament at the Batangas City Sport Center here.

Hard-hitting action fires off at 3 p.m. following the 1 p.m. battle between red-hot Petron and struggling New San Jose Builders in the final day of the second round of this topnotch inter-club tourney bankrolled

by Asics, Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller and Grand Sports with TV5 as official broadcast partner.

It will be the second time for the league to play in this bustling province south of Metro Manila after staging an explosive double-header at the De La Salle-Lipa Sentrum in Lipa City during the Grand Prix last year.

Spurs stretch record LOS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points as the San Antonio Spurs preserved their 100 percent record at home this season with a 109-101 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

The Spurs were given some anxious moments when Chicago cut San Antonio’s lead from 10 points to 90-87 with 8:36 to play but the hosts rallied again to notch their 31st home win of the season.

A tip-in dunk from Danny Green and a jumper by Tony Parker allowed San Antonio to pull clear at 104-92, leaving San Antonio to close out a deserved victory at the AT&T Center.

San Antonio have now won 40 straight home games in regular season including the latter part of last season, the fourth best

unbeaten home run in NBA history.

The Golden State Warriors hold the record for most consecutive home victories, currently standing at 46 dating back to the 2014-2015 campaign.

French star Parker meanwhile chipped in with 20 points and a season-best 12 assists for San Antonio, who improved to 5510.

Parker said the Spurs had benefited from a two-day rest following their road trip, adding that the performance augured well for the playoffs.

“I felt good -- I felt like I had my legs tonight,” Parker said.

“In the first half I was looking to pass more, but in the second half I wanted to be more aggressive so I took three or four jump shots to start the third quarter.

“We are getting closer and closer to the postseason and this game definitely had a playoff feel to it.”

For the Bulls, Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol both scored 21 points each while E’Twaun Moore added 20 points.

The match also marked another milestone for Tim Duncan, who became only the sixth player in NBA history to amass 15,000 rebounds. Duncan’s mark came with 6:56 left in the first quarter when Mike Dunleavy Jr. missed a jump shot.

It was Duncan’s second record in a matter of weeks, following his

3,000th career block on February 27.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich meanwhile returned to the bench after missing the previous two games with a “family medical emergency.” Popovich missed the trip to Indiana and Minnesota which finished 1-1.

Chicago meanwhile were left fuming at coughing up 21 turnovers which proved costly, with San Antonio scoring 16 points as a result.

“You shoot yourself in the foot giving up so many extra opportunities,” said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg.

“We just tried to go down and hit home runs when we gotta go down and make the right play,” Hoiberg added. “When you turn the ball over and don’t get a shot up on the board, (San Antonio) is going to make you pay for it.” AFP

Spieth battling to make cut MIAMI—World number one Jordan Spieth was left staring down the barrel of his second missed cut of 2016 on Thursday after firing a five-over-par 76 in the opening round of the Valspar Championship.

The defending champion, who had missed the cut at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles last month, suffered a torrid round on the Innisbrook Resort’s challenging Copperhead layout to finish the day way off the pace.

Spieth, who struggled to get to grips with the blustery conditions, carded six bogeys and one birdie and will need to produce something miraculous on Friday if he is to extend his participation into the weekend.

“It was a very tough day. I just didn’t hit enough greens,” said Spieth, who never recovered after a disastrous start which included five bogeys and one birdie in his first seven holes to put him four

over at the turn.

“I got off to a poor start and I was behind the eight-ball with gusty wind on a tough golf course,” the 22-year-old Texan said.

Spieth was also dismayed with his putting performance on greens that played very slowly.

“It’s so tough on some of these putts down the hill to hit them as hard as we have to hit them,” Spieth said.

“It’s one thing to practice on the greens and get used to it, it’s another to actually do it.”

Spieth was left nine shots adrift of early pace-setters Keegan Bradley, Ken Duke, and Charles Howell III, who all carded four-underpar 67s to take a share of the first round lead.

Bradley shot five birdies and one bogey, a haul which included a superb 25-foot birdie putt at the par-three fourth.

Unlike Spieth, Bradley was happy with the condition of the greens. AFP

Keegan Bradley plays a shot on the seventh hole during the first round of the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

A13

‘Tennis to survive Sharapova storm’ PARIS—Rocked by Maria Sharapova’s failed drugs test confession and the sun threatening to set on a golden generation, tennis faces huge challenges to maintain its impressive global profile.

Van Gaal: Man United blown away

by Liverpool LIVERPOOL—Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said his team had been simply overwhelmed

by Liverpool’s high pressing during their one-sided 2-0 Europa League defeat at a raucous Anfield.

Daniel Sturridge, with a penalty, and Roberto Firmino scored as Liverpool claimed a deserved win on Thursday, and the hosts might have put the last 16 tie to bed had it not been for United goalkeeper David de Gea. Ex-United players Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand, analysing the game for BT Sport, delivered stinging criticisms of their old team’s display -- the former branding it “shambolic” -- and Van Gaal conceded his side had struggled with the Liverpool’s intensity.

“I have seen we did not cope with the pressure, the high pressure of Liverpool,” Van Gaal told his post-match press conference after the first ever European meeting between England’s two most successful clubs.

“We had expected that and for me it was a surprise we did not cope with that because they did it the same way in the home match this year that we played against them (which United won 3-1).

“Because they provoked first, we could not play the ball from David de Gea to Daley Blind or Chris Smalling and they gave a lot of pressure and we could not cope with that.

AFP

But despite Sharapova, the world’s highest earning sportswoman, confronting a potentially career-ending ban, industry insiders insist that the sport can ride out the storm.

“The Maria Sharapova doping story, whilst not ideal for the sport, is certainly not damaging enough to really affect tennis in the same way as we saw perhaps with cycling or sprinting,” Jon Stainer, managing director of sports sponsorship experts Repucom, told AFP. “In both those cases, doping was being carried out by a number of athletes for a sustained period.”

Sharapova has amassed a personal fortune of $200 milMaria Sharapova’s products are seen for sale in the merchandise store during day four of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian lion and, according to the 2015 Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. AFP Forbes rich-list, the 28-yearold Russian earned almost $30 million last year, the bulk of which came from off-court endorsements.

The five-time major champion earned more than great rival Serena Williams, the unTHE 4th National Students Ten- to the 4th NSTC-Graham Lim nology, Lyceum University of the disputed world number one nis Championship – Graham Lim Classic and welcomes all partici- Philippines, Polytechnic Univerand 21-time Grand Slam title Classic will be staged from April pating university athletes to the sity of the Philippines, Jose Rizal winner, who banked almost 17 to 23, 2016 at the tradition- opening Ceremony on April 17.

College, University of Baguio, $25 million. steeped Reina Regente Tennis Melchor Divina, Mapua Tech and University of Cebu.

As an indication of their sigClub in Tondo district, Manila. athletic director, is supportive Other interested parties may nificance to the sport, the two According to tournament di- of the event sanctioned by the contact Quiza at mobile phone women also have huge social rector Antonio Quiza, the lawn Federation of school Sports As- number 0917 551 7491 or send media profiles which dwarf tennis head coach of Mapua In- sociation of the Philippines, the an E-mail to apug.secretariat@ their top 10 rivals. stitute of Technology, male and only university sports federation gmail.com.

Williams has six million female entries will be accepted in in the country that is recognized The deadline for Entries is on Twitter followers; world numsingle events only. by the International University April 13. It will be followed by ber seven Sharapova boasts The winner in both the men’s Sports Federation. a draw on April 15 to be held at more than two million. and women’s events will repreExpected to see action in the Reina Regente Tennis Club in But the five players between sent the Philippines in the 29th qualifying tournament are ath- Tondo district, Manila. them in the rankings -- AusSummer Universiade in Taipei letes from Rizal Technological The registration fee is P100. tralian Open winner Angelique City in August 2017.

University, San Sebastian ColSponsors for the one-week Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska, Reina Regente Tennis Club lege, Technological University of competitions are Megaworld Garbine Muguruza, Simona president Jose “Loy” Salvador the Philippines, Arellano Uni- Corporation, Bestank and Long Halep and Carla Suarez Navis honored that it will play host versity, Mapua Institute of Tech- March tyres. arro -- have under 600,000 between them.

The ruling WTA would be forgiven for hoping that the charismatic, photogenic but unpredictable talents of CaroLINGAYEN—Team Philippines threw its Gomez of the PNG Finals which effectively failed to make it to the semifinals against a weight around in practically all of 20 sports became a “Philippine team-against-the-rest- new bunch of 9-ball artists. line Wozniacki and Eugenie played here, but largely failed to create the of-the-country” showdown.

Alvin Barbero, Michael Mengorio, Von GaBouchard can soon make a punch expected of it as the PSC-POC PhilipThe Nationals amassed 82 gold medals, briel and Joel Lacia made it past the sport’s Grand Slam breakthrough. pine National Games came to a close Friday.

30 silvers and 13 bronzes as they generally legends to reach the semifinals. Finals were Sharapova, for her part, has The PH tracksters were unmatched at proved that they deserve their spots in the slated late Friday. not ruled out a return although the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center team.

The same thing happened in chess after her fate is in the hands of othwith team stalwart Archand Bagsit and upTeam Philippines copped 12 golds in pen- International Master Joel Pimentel prevailed ers. an-coming star Karen Janario ruling the cak silat and totalled 30 golds in weightlifting over a field strewn with Grandmasters to “I am determined to play 200-meter dashes to end the competitions. which had a big number of weight categories. capture the men’s standard gold. Top Filipino tennis again and I hope I will Southeast Asian Games champion Bagsit It was all Team Philippines in tennis as female player Jannel Mae Frayna copped the have the chance to do so. I wish topped the men’s event besting teammates Johnny Arcilla bested Patrick John Tierro, women’s side.

I didn’t have to go through this, Edgar Alejan and Joan Caido. But his 21.39 6-1, 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, for the men’s singles gold A computer major at College of St. Benilbut I do -- and I will,” she said. seconds clockings still fell short of the nation- medal. Marian Jade Capadocia trounced de, Pimentel beat GM John Paul Gomez and Although Sharapova has al mark of 21.17 by Ralph Soguilon.

Marinel Rudas, 6-1, 6-4, in the women’s final. drew GMS Jayson Gonzales and Richard Biseen her money-spinning relaJanario, newly minted UAAP Rookie/MVP But Tierro got back in mixed doubles pair- toon en route to the victory. A member of the tionships with Nike and Porawardee, timed 25.33 seconds in her event, ing with Maia Balce for the gold, while Arcilla national pool, Pimental already has one GM sche suspended, her racquet which can’t be compared to the long-time PH and Ronard Joven bagged the men’s doubles norm. Gonzales and Gomez settled for silver manufacturer Head has stayed mark of Lydia de Vega (23.35 seconds). crown. Balce and Capadocia topped women’s and bronze, respectively. loyal. Even on the sidelines she Philippine Sports Commissioner Jolly doubles.

Frayna, who hails from Far Eastern Uniremains a formidable business Gomez said the performance of the NationGomez, however, made exceptions with versity, bested fellow national pool members prospect. als are all within expectations but he rued the chess and billiards saying “in these sports you Catherine Secopito and Jan Jodilyn Fronda - ‘Beauty sells’ fact that no national mark was broken. can’t win every game,” unlike in measurable who wound up second and third, respective“It’s a wake-up call for the national ath- sports. ly. Frayna is the top bet to become the Philip“Beauty sells,” she once faletes to level up their game. But all in all it’s In billiards held in Dagupan, Efren “Bata” pines’ first Women’s GM with two GM norms mously said and business exan indicator of the level of competitions,” said Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante under her belt. perts tend to agree. AFP

National students’ netfest set

Team PH throws weight around in National Games

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Lee wins shootout, bags crown TAGAYTAY—Korean Lee Jeong-hwa pulled through in a nerve-wracking shootout, draining clutch birdies in the stretch to card a two-under 70, turn back Japanese Fumika Kawagishi and snare the ICTSI Champion Tour presented by Champion and Taiwan LPGA crown by one at the Splendido Taal Golf Club here Friday.

Lee fought back from two strokes down with eight holes left, birdying the par-5 11th for the third straight day and pouncing on Kawagishi’s bogey on No. 14 to draw level then rammed in birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 for a closing 34,

clinching the victory on a 54-hole aggregate of eightunder 208 worth $15,000.

“Mission accomplished.

My goal from the start was to win this tournament,” said Lee, whose hard-earned victory came four years after she beat Princess Superal by

three in the Philippine Ladies Open at Manila Southwoods in 2012.

Kawagishi, who wrested a one-stroke lead over Lee with a solid seven-under 65 Thursday and battled the Korean ace shot-for-shot and putt-for-putt to pad her lead to two after 10 holes, recovered from that costly mishap on the 14th a bit too late, her final-hole birdie could only save her a pair of 36s-72 for a 209 and $7,500.

So upset was Kawagishi, whose superb second round charge sparked hopes for a successful maiden stint on the local circuit sponsored

by International Container Terminal Services, that the 21-year-old bet from Yokohama left as soon as she turned in her scorecard.

She actually moved eight holes away from achieving that feat but flubbed her birdie bid on the 11th and muffed a par-putt try from six feet on No. 14.

Forcing a tie, Lee birdied No. 15 to seize the lead then struck a solid 6-iron tee shot on the par-3 17th to within five feet for another birdie and the cushion she needed to thwart Kawagishi’s final-hole birdie.

“It was so hard for me

to make birdies in the first nine holes as I was focusing more on the Japanese who is really good in short game than in my own game. But I was able to re-focus at the back and start making birdies,” said Lee. Superal birdied two of the last seven holes to card a 71 and finish tied for third at 214 with Taiwanese Chen Yu-ju, who also shot a 71, and Taiwan LPGA Tour opening leg winner Kanpahnitnan Muangkhumaskul of Thailand, who rallied with a threeunder 69, the best score in tough condition in the

final round of the $75.000 event which served as the kickoff leg of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and the fifth stage of Taiwan LPGA Tour. Chen and Muangkhumaskul split the combined purse of $7,650.

Lee’s triumph also ended Superal’s quest for an eighth straight victory but The Country Club ace still emerged the top Filipina finisher, and best amateur, as Symetra Tour campaigner Mia Piccio matched par 72 for the second straight and ended up joint ninth at 217 with Thai Chorphaka Jaengkit, who also had a 72.

POC wants additional events to SEA Games

By Peter Atencio

Korean Lee Jeong-hwa holds her trophy after edging Japanese Fumika Kawagishi in a shootout to win the ICTSI Champion Tour crown.

Navyman fastest in Stage 1 of Ronda PH’s Visayas Leg BAGO CITY—Ronald Oranza bested Navy-Standard Insurance teammate Rudy Roque and Rustom Lim of rival LBC-MVP Sports Foundation to reign supreme in the inaugural stage of the Visayas Leg of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2016 that started and ended here yesterday.

After pacing most of the race, Oranza went on attack mode in the final 100 meters to rule the 2.7-kilometer Stage 1 criterium with a clocking of one hour, nine minutes and 23.946 seconds, enough to earn him 15 general classification points and the leader’s LBC red jersey.

It was Oranza’s third stage victory after he took the first two stages of the Mindanao Leg in Butuan City and sixth overall since the annual LBC Ronda Pilipinas, the

biggest cycling race in the country today, came to be.

“I just took my chance and grabbed it,” said the 23-year-old Oranza in Filipino.

Oranza, who hails from Villasis, Pangasinan or the mecca of cycling champions, later admitted he was just a ploy to lure opposing riders away from Navy teammate and Mindanao Leg champion Jan Paul Morales.

“I was just playing decoy to help Jan Paul (Morales). But when I realized I had the chance, I just didn’t waste time grabbing it,” he said.

Roque and Lim wound up second and third placers in 1:09:24.082 and 1:09:24.401, respectively.

LBC-MVPSF’s Ronald Lomotos finished fourth in 1:09:26.012,

A rider gets a bottled water from a supporter.

while Navymen Daniel Ven Carino and grizzled veteran Joel Calderon ended up Nos. 5 and 6 in 1:09:29.012 and 1:09:29.314.

Team ASG’s Richard Nebres, a 22-year-old neophyte from Matti, Davao Oriental, tried to snatch the

lap win out of nowhere and even led in the final two loops of the stage.

But Oranza and the lead pack caught up and when Nebres tried to get back on top, he accidentally hit the rear wheel of Lomotos and suffered a painful crash.

THE Philippine Olympic Committee on Friday said that the Philippines wants 80 more events to be included in the calendar of events for the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.

POC chairman Tom Carrasco said the Olympic sports body will start reviewing the appeals by various national sports associations which indicated their desire to send in more athletes.

“We are reviewing the list, and the appeals made.

We should be quite optimistic on this,” said Carrasco.

Carrasco added that the POC is also now in the process of appealing to organizers to include more sports disciplines in the Games.

Last month, organizers in Malaysia released an initial list which did not include fencing, wrestling, rowing, triathlon and canoeing -sports events in which the Philippines has traditionally won gold medals.

Carrasco said the POC has already sent an appeal to reinstate the said sports.

Meanwhile, Carrasco said that the NSAs of archery, billiards, boxing, cycling, rugby beach volleyball, wushu and weightlifting want to add more events/categories, although the Malaysian side has yet to released a list of the number of specific events per sport.

Athletics also wants all 46 events to be included in the list, including the eight which were earlier deleted.

Carrasco said that in the previous staging of the SEA Games in Singapore, the Philippines was in contention for at least 402 medals, but if the exclusions push through, the country stands to contend for only 350 medals.

S AT U R D AY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

McTavish: WBO must rate Tepora

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Sean Anthony of NLEX (no. 10) goes for an undergoal basket against John Ferriols (no. 22) of Meralco

NLEX stuns Meralco

By Jeric Lopez

IN A tale of two halves, NLEX, went on to own the half that mattered as it turned things around in the final 24 minutes to deal sister team Meralco another loss, 104-99, and improve its mark in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Al Thornton found his scoring touch back, exploding with a game-high 38 points, on 13-of-20 shooting, with 12 rebounds for a double-double to lead NLEX’s comeback victory.

Trailing for the entire first half and by 12 early in the third, NLEX rediscovered its its rhythm and orchestrated a stunning 31-17 run to end the period and snatch the lead, 81-79, heading the fourth.

The Road Warriors improved their record to 3-3 in a four-way tie with three other teams for spots 4

to 7 while the erstwhile front-running Bolts fell to 5-2 and at second place after this second straight defeat following a 5-0 start.

With all the momentum and confidence, the Road Warriors followed through in the fourth, building their own twin-digit lead that peaked at 12 points, 95-83, with 6:33 left after a bucket from Taulava to grasp full control.

The Bolts fought back and had a rally of their own, an 18-4 run in the next five minutes capped by an Anjo Caram jumper to

inch within three, 96-99, with just over a minute left.

But Simon Enciso shattered any hope that Meralco had when he countered with a triple on the other end for NLEX to give the Road Warriors the needed distance to escape, making it 102-96 with just seconds on the clock.

“It’s our defense that gave us this win. The players committed to playing defense in the second half,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez. “We’re really happy we got this win.”

Meralco had the upperhand for most of the first half, even holding an eight-point lead late in the second however, NLEX managed to remain within striking distance before getting its act together in the second half.

The Bolts, after an Arinze Onuaku throwdown late in the first half carried a 57-50 lead at halftime.

Then, a swift 5-0 run to open

Keeping boxing alive, and punching INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

SUDDENLY, it seems there’s an upsurge in boxing promotions in the country, thanks obviously to the top-class pioneering efforts of ALA Promotions, headed by its president—the youthful, energetic visionary Michael Aldeguer, who clearly has learned his lessons well from his esteemed dad, Antonio “Tony” Aldeguer.

That ALA Promotions has partnered with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN in pushing, as only they can, the “Pinoy Pride” series to new heights of viewership nationwide and their joint venture with the widely-watched TFC, the Filipino Channel especially in the Middle East and their

breakthrough effort in the United States speaks volumes of the foresight of both ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN, where the interest of Gabby Lopez in boxing and in promoting the sports events was a major boost.

Our longtime friend and now sports consultant Peter Musngi played a quiet, but pivotal role in this broadened concept of “Pinoy Pride” by the ABS-CBN hierarchy, headed

by Merch Ventosa, Dino Laureano and Vince Rodriguez.

The ALA-ABS journey continues with a return to the US, this time in San Francisco, when unbeaten Prince Albert Pagara, on the threshold of a world title fight, headlines a card at the San Mateo Events Center.

Then, there is the prospect of a return to the StubHub Center in Carson City, California, where Michael has ten-

tatively got the agreements of Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions to stage a Philippines vs Mexico showdown in September, headed by the mandatory title defense of the longest-reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes against Moises Fuentes, whom he knocked out in the ninth round after dropping the Mexican three times in the round.

Nietes, in the meantime, will defend his title against Raul “Rayito” Garcia, the identical twin brother of Raul Garcia Hirales, from whom Nietes won the title in Bacolod City some five years ago.

Also in the pipeline is a rematch for the IBF light flyweight title between Milan Melindo and Javier Mendoza either in the Philippines in the undercard of the Nietes-Garcia title fight or in Mexico on another date.

the second half was manufactured by Meralco as it grew its lead to double-figures, 62-50, following John Ferriol’s jumper around the 10-minute mark of the third.

That proved to be the Bolts’ last taste of control as the Road Warriors turned the tides completely in their favor from that point forward as they dominated the second half en route to the victory.

The scores: NLEX 104—Thornton 38, Lanete 14, Alas 10, Anthony 9, Taulava 8, Khobuntin 7, Villanueva E. 7, Enciso 6, Villanueva J. 3, Reyes 2, Borboran 0, Arboleda H. 0.

MERALCO 99—Onuaku 16, Amer 14, Dillinger 14, Alapag 11, Ferriols 10, Newsome 10, Faundo 8, Hugnatan 8, Hodge 4, Bono 2, Caram 2, Buenafe Ronjay 0, David 0.

Quarters: 24-31, 50-57, 81-79, 104-99.

Picking up from the momentum of ALA Promotions, a number of promotional outfits are stepping up their efforts, the latest being Omega Pro Sports International, where the likeable Chad Canares, who moved out of ALA Promotions when he ran for vice mayor of Bantayan Island and won, but has decided not to seek re-election because apparently the call of boxing is ringing in his ears.

They staged their first “Who’s Next?” promotion at the plush Robinsons Galeria in the seaside reclamation area of Cebu and were able to get international referee Bruce McTavish to serve as third man in the ring for the main event and more importantly enticed WBO Asia-Pacific head Leon Panoncillo to join, thereby expanding the WBO presence in the Philippines, which is the bedrock of the WBO business as well.

There is also SanMan Promotions of young Jim Claude

INTERNATIONAL referee Bruce McTavish said Filipino super bantamweight Jack Tepora is a world-class fighter and should be rated by the World Boxing Organization after he won the vacant Asia Pacific Youth super bantamweight title with a rousing fifth-round knockout of Jason Tinampay in a battle of southpaws at the Robinsons Mall, along the seaside reclamation area in Cebu.

McTavish, who was the third man in the ring, told The Standard that Tepora put on a terrific performance and that Tinampay was a game opponent, but the former had too much speed and power for him to handle.

Reports from ringside by philboxing.com said that Tinampay crouched from a body shot in the fifth round and refused to stand up, to the utter disappointment of the fans, although the fight was entertaining enough to hold the crowd until the end.

Philboxing’s Dong Secuya told The Standard Tepora has a promising future, but needs to be matched against a worthy opponent. He also said the crowd wasn’t big and only the last three fights, including that of Tepora were all right.

Tepora, who is under the management of the Omega Gym, has an unbeaten record of 17-0 with 12 knockouts and is just 22 years of age.

He has beaten several veterans convincingly including Jason Egera over whom he scored a first-round TKO in a scheduled 10-round bout on Sept. 12, 2015 after another veteran Jilo Merlin retired in Round 5 of a six-round bout on June 12 , 2015 and hammered Marvin Tampus into submission in Round 1 of a scheduled 10-round bout on Feb. 2, 2015.

Manangquil, who has a stable of talented fighters and showcases them from time in promotions in General Santos City and other centers in Mindanao.

Elmer Anuran’s “Saved by the Bell” promotions has also stirred to life with an interesting fight card at the Ynares Center in Pasig City today (Saturday) while MP Promotions is bankrolling a title fight featuring Jerwin Ancajas against Puerto Rico’s unbeaten McJoe Arroyo, the defending IBF super flyweight champion in Bacoor, Cavite on April 16.

Regrettably however, MP Promotions hasn’t had a sustained effort, with Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz too engrossed in other activities including looking after his ranch in the US with some 400 Angus cattle, to give the fighters under MP Promotions and the promotional efforts the necessary attention which is a pity considering the name the outfit carries.

The sons of the late Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, “Bebot and Johnny Elorde are regularly promoting events mainly at the Flash Grand Ballroom at the Elorde sports complex along Sucat Road in Parañaque.

Finally, there is United International Promotions of Japan’s Ryuta Kato and executive director Warren Evison, who have staged some excellent fight cards with a roster of talented Filipinos as well as some Japanese boxers which is a most welcome addition.

We cover the fights for Viva Sports, which telecasts them on the top-rated weekly boxing show “The Main Event”over Pinoy Box Office on SkyCable.

Clearly, the interest in boxing is growing fairly rapidly and we can only hope that the Games and Amusements Board will live up to its mandate to ensure the integrity of the sport, which is essential if we are to succeed and promoters are to get a fair deal.

S AT U R DAY : M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 16

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Joginder Sin displays his Golden Wheel award for circuit-racing. At left, Joginder, who is known in business and racing circles as King, takes his Honda Civic for a spin at the race track. PHOTOS BY RAMON D. BOADO

JOGINDER SIN

King of the racetrack

By Randy Caluag

AT FIRST look, Joginder Sin seems like your average businessman.

Someone, who could be hardworking and is good in math and numbers. A businessman, who knows his trade well, and whose eyes brighten up when you tell him a nice idea that will boost his trade and bring more profit in the process. During his free time, he plays a round of golf with his peers, or travels to places with his family, where he can relax and unwind from all the hustle and bustle of his daily routine.

But Joginder, nicknamed King, is not your ordinary businessman.

During days when he isn’t manning his business, he is on the race track with fellow “speed freaks,” quenching their need for speed with the adrenaline rush that only racing machines can bring.

“It’s the adrenaline rush when you are side by side other cars, neck and neck trying to get to the finish line first that gets me pumped up. It’s the greatest feeling and satisfaction for me,” said King, a fran-

chise holder of fastfood chain “Tapa King” in Isabela, and is in the food industry (animal husbandry, bakery, restaurants).

“Ever since I was young, I always loved cars and racing in general. My father had a muscle car V8 Pontiac Lemans equipped with Weber carbs, and fat tires and I loved walking around it and sitting in it simulating that I was driving it. On top of this, I was always watching Nascar Daytona 500 racing on our black and

white TV, which only had 2 channels then! Either I watched that or the news.

So, yeah my dad and his muscle car inf luenced me,” he said.

King, who is from Cauayan, Isabela, but studied high school and college in Southern California, then met his now friend and coach Rafael Perez through the piggery business and coincidentally found out they both had a common love for motorsports.

“He said I worked too much and convinced me to

race my Mitsubishi Evo VI (Tommi Makinen edition) on the then Circuit Showdown, a grassroots circuitracing organization headed by the late Enzo Pastro. So I said okay, I guess I could use the exercise since I was gaining some weight. After that first grid race, I was hooked. I’m nearing 40 and thought this will be my version of a mid-life crisis,” said King with a laugh.

“So then, we took my 1993 Honda Civic EG hatchback that I was using as my transport to visit my piggery farm, built and prepped it into FIA standards,” he added.

Soon enough, King, with Perez showing him racing and difference lines and coach Edgen Dy-Lliaco giving him pointers and the certification that earned for him a professional driver’s license from the Automotive Association of the Philippines, was winning acco-

lades on the track.

“On my first race as a pro for the Philippine Grand Touring Car Championship, I won first place in the GT100 in the sprint race (leg 5) last October 26, 2014, a very memorable race for me.

Then in 2015, I promised myself to complete the whole season.

And, although competition was very fierce, through hard work and perseverance, I was able to finish first runner-up overall for the season,” said King, who thanks his family, wife Heidi, children Magnus Aurelius, Denzel Alerre and Draggo Hamilton, and parents Antonio and Lucy Sin, for the inspiration in his racing adventures.

Like all champion racers do, King wants to improve his times further, believing that his biggest challenge is with his own self.

“Since I’m busy with business, for the next season, I

would like to get more seat time so I can improve my lap times. And maybe if time persists I would like to get some advanced training abroad,” said King. “For 2016, my goal is to try to be a podium finisher for each race, take it one race at a time and try to be as successful as I can while enjoying the racing atmosphere and camaraderie. It’s actually hard, so prior to race day, I make sure to be at the track by at least 3 or 4 days in advance.”

King also believes that there is a link between his passion for racing and business.

“Racing and business are very much alike, they both require special hard work ethics, preparation, analysis and implementation, which are all keys to be successful!

Racing has made me more relaxed. In racing, you have to be focused and have patience,” he said.

SATURDAY: MARCH 12, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

B1

Tourist arrivals top 500,000

By Othel V. Campos

FOREIGN tourist arrivals in the Philippines rose 13 percent to a record 542,258 in January this year from 479,149 year-on-year.

The Tourism Department said Friday the tourist arrivals breached the 500,000 mark in a month for the first time.

“At the rate that the industry is growing, tourism has proven that it is an important pillar in the country’s economic development.

This rapid growth is allowing creation of decent jobs and livelihood for many Filipinos,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said in a statement.

“For 2015, tourism employment was estimated at 4.99 million with a share of 12.7 percent to national employment, already representing 4.8 percent growth from 2014,” he said Tourism earnings reached P21.94 billion based on the activities engaged in by the visitors.

“More than the industry’s performance in terms of numbers, tourism has proven to be a

successful means to spread the growth to various sectors, from the protection of the environment to the emergence of local businesses, the development of infrastructure, and the preserva-

tion of our cultural heritage,” said Jimenez.

Korea remained the top source of foreign tourists with 147,165, contributing 27.14 percent to the total volume.

US came in second with 84,506 with a 15.58 percent share, while China overtook Japan on the third spot with 48,708 or 8.98 percent.

Japan contributed 41,691 visitors, or 7.69 percent of the aggregate, with Australia at fifth, with 25,274 visitors or a 4.66-percent share.

Korea kept its rank as the highest spending market, contributing P6.21 billion, followed by the US with P4.26 billion. Japanese tourists were third with P1.64 billion.

Canada came in fourth with P1.18 billion while Australia ranked fifth with a contribution of P1.13 billion to total spending.

“The convergence projects with public and private sectors have significantly improved market access and connectivity, human resource development, product development, environmental protection and, safety and security,” said Jimenez.

“All these have contributed to keeping the fun promise and strengthening brand recall. We seek this continued synergy to break barriers, score records high and keep our tourism industry sustainable and inclusive,” said Jimenez.

PSe comPoSite index Closing March 11, 2016

8300 7840 7380 6920 6460 6000

7,098.64 50.56

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing March 11, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P46.620

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P46.600 LOW P46.795 AVERAGE P46.692 VOLUME 712.00M

P400.00-P620.00 LPG/11-kg tank P30.00-P39.32 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

Refurbished auditorium. The Henry Sy Foundation turns over a newly refurbished 810-square meter school auditorium to the Sacred

P19.25-P22.75 Diesel

Heart School-Hijas de Jesus in Cebu. Elizabeth Sy (left), a trustee of the Henry Sy Foundation and an alumna of the SHS-HDJ, leads the ribboncutting ceremony with Sr. Joji Silorio, principal and directress of the school.The Henry Sy Sr. auditorium has a seating capacity of 850, equipped with airconditioning, lighting fixtures, and a generator set. Sy, also the president of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., said the renovation of the auditorium will enhance the efforts of the school in providing a well-rounded and quality education to its students.

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, March 11, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.7440

Japan

Yen

0.008835

0.4130

UK

Pound

1.428500

66.7738

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128833

6.0222

Switzerland

Franc

1.015744

47.4799

Canada

Dollar

0.749400

35.0300

Singapore

Dollar

0.724795

33.8798

Australia

Dollar

0.745100

34.8290

Bahrain

Dinar

2.658019

124.2464

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266709

12.4670

Brunei

Dollar

0.722178

33.7575

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000077

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.028377

1.3265

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

12.7278

Euro

Euro

1.117800

52.2504

Korea

Won

0.000831

0.0388

China

Yuan

0.153669

7.1831

India

Rupee

0.014861

0.6947

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.244499

11.4289

New Zealand

Dollar

0.666200

31.1409

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030418

1.4219 Source: PDS Bridge

RCBC president offers to go on temporary leave

By Julito G. Rada RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. president and chief executive Lorenzo Tan plans to go on leave, to give the bank’s board a free hand in investigating the alleged involvement of a Makati branch in money laundering.

Francis Lim, the legal counsel of Tan, said in a statement Tan had not offered to resign from the bank, but would go on leave while the investigation was ongoing.

“He has offered to go on leave to give the bank a free hand in investigating the alleged money laun-

dering issue involving its Jupiter branch in Makati and its branch manager,” Lim said in a statement.

“The bank’s board thanked him for his gentlemanly and decent gesture but said their trust in him is intact and unshaken,” Lim said.

Tan was the head of the Bankers Association of the Philippines and the Asian Bankers Association.

Authorities in Bangladesh, the US and the Philippines were investigating reports that Chinese hackers stole $100 million placed by Bangladesh central

bank in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and that some had been traced to Philippine banks and casinos.

Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. said it began investigating reports that as much as $100 million in suspicious funds were remitted to the bank accounts of three casinos it didn’t identify.

Funds were later dispatched into accounts outside the Philippines, including to Hong Kong, according to reports.

RCBC corporate vice chairman Cesar Virata said the bank was investigating the deposit of

$81 million in its Jupiter branch and the subsequent transactions thereon. Virata assured the bank was cognizant of its bank secrecy obligations and would at all times maintain confidentiality of its accounts.

Meanwhile, the branch manager of RCBC Jupiter in Makati City and her family were offloaded from a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Tokyo Friday, according to a report by broadcast network ABS-CBN. The branch manager was invited by the Senate to appear at a hearing next week.

SATURDAY: MARCH 12, 2016

B2

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, March 11, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 890 1.01 100 30.5 91.5 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 625 0.225 78 17.8 62 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil. National Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

2.97 45.25 102.50 84.90 36.55 2.80 1.42 14.1 15.2 6.90 1.78 581.50 0.580 81.5 14.90 52.50 271.2 32.9 150.1 1310.00 57.25 1.55

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 20.6 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 32 15.32 20.2 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173

79 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

34.1 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group C. Azuc De Tarlac Century Food Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

LBC Express Liberty Flour Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.7 5.33 0.7 1.5 10.8 170.00 17.78 59.5 18.84 40 2.38 6.2 12.3 8.970 7.85 6.25 6.99 21.25 63.25 13.72 5.5 2.720 230.00 10.48 34.00 2.9 26.75 17 5.95 327.00 3.42 10.46 3.3 11.54 4.18 1.61 2.71 4.00 4.55 160 2.46 0.163 1.15 2.41 202.4 0.84 1.19

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 5.3

76 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

49.55 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 0.030 1.23 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 1.13 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. IPM Holdings JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.350 60.30 16.10 6.08 0.270 0.270 754.5 7.6 12.90 4.9 4.96 0.229 1381 5.73 9.78 74.80 5.81 0.69 15.94 0.485 5.89 0.0310 1.230 1.960 2.75 78.00 940.00 1.16 164.000 0.3100 0.2070 0.295

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property

7.250 0.90 1.500 0.219 34.950 3.16 5.14 0.550

Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL

SHARES 12,624,775 126,719,154 159,508,806 396,987,899 382,108,141 388,284,640 1,472,672,859

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.09 2.91 45.5 44.6 105.00 101.00 86.20 85.20 37 36.5 3.00 2.75 1.44 1.39 14.2 14.1 15.3 15.2 6.90 6.40 1.7 1.7 585.00 585.00 0.610 0.580 84.1 81.2 14.84 14.80 53.00 52.30 275 270 32.85 31.4 155 150.9 1349.00 1309.00 57.55 57.20 1.54 1.58 INDUSTRIAL 44.25 43.7 5.33 5.15 0.7 0.69 1.52 1.5 10.92 10.6 170.00 170.00 17.96 17.8 59.5 50 18.96 18.54 41 40.5 2.49 2.38 6.64 5.7 12.32 11.98 9.100 8.890 8.10 7.85 6.45 6.25 7.05 6.95 22.05 21.25 64.45 63.25 13.88 13.70 5.55 5.46 2.870 2.740 232.00 227.00 10.5 10.5 33.00 27.50 2.91 2.91 26.75 26.35 19 17 6.25 5.95 329.80 326.20 3.65 3.4 10.44 10.28 3.32 3.28 11.60 11.54 4.18 4.13 1.68 1.61 2.75 2.6 4.04 3.97 4.55 4.55 162 156.1 2.46 2.42 0.164 0.155 1.20 1.11 2.52 2.41 204.2 202.4 0.87 0.84 1.17 1.14 HOLDING FIRMS 0.375 0.350 61.10 60.30 16.10 15.62 6.10 6.10 0.275 0.260 0.275 0.265 760.5 754 7.74 7.58 12.90 12.30 5 4.9 5.00 4.93 0.227 0.221 1416 1382 6.05 6.02 9.78 9.75 76.10 72.00 6.1 5.78 0.71 0.69 16.12 15.92 0.485 0.475 6.04 5.92 0.0320 0.0300 1.420 1.350 1.990 1.950 2.70 2.7 78.00 75.50 940.00 911.00 1.17 1.13 164.000 142.300 0.3200 0.3100 0.2170 0.2150 0.295 0.285 PROPERTY 7.300 7.240 0.93 0.90 1.520 1.480 0.239 0.228 36.000 34.900 3.18 3.1 5.26 5.12 0.56 0.540

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.98 45.5 105.00 86.20 36.9 2.75 1.44 14.18 15.2 6.90 1.7 585.00 0.600 84.1 14.84 52.55 275 31.7 154.5 1320.00 57.20 1.54

0.34 0.55 2.44 1.53 0.96 -1.79 1.41 0.57 0.00 0.00 -4.49 0.60 3.45 3.19 -0.40 0.10 1.40 -3.65 2.93 0.76 -0.09 -0.65

77,000 7,900 3,939,730 1,302,240 19,100 38,000 29,000 18,000 142,500 4,600 2 250 581,000 4,341,740 16,400 51,100 270 252,300 1,672,340 385 36,470 89,000

43.9 5.2 0.7 1.5 10.7 170.00 17.9 59.5 18.74 41 2.45 5.71 12.2 9.080 8.00 6.34 7.02 21.9 63.8 13.70 5.46 2.790 230.00 10.5 32.00 2.91 26.4 19 6.25 326.40 3.59 10.30 3.32 11.60 4.17 1.66 2.6 4.00 4.55 161.5 2.46 0.155 1.20 2.50 204 0.86 1.17

0.46 -2.44 0.00 0.00 -0.93 0.00 0.67 0.00 -0.53 2.50 2.94 -7.90 -0.81 1.23 1.91 1.44 0.43 3.06 0.87 -0.15 -0.73 2.57 0.00 0.19 -5.88 0.34 -1.31 11.76 5.04 -0.18 4.97 -1.53 0.61 0.52 -0.24 3.11 -4.06 0.00 0.00 0.94 0.00 -4.91 4.35 3.73 0.79 2.38 -1.68

3,490,200 821,600 39,000 550,000 5,100 30 456,600 440 171,800 20,700 1,480,000 16,292,700 549,200 1,751,300 6,636,100 14,404,100 552,200 6,629,500 138,100 3,600 156,100 4,830,000 1,514,170 21,500 1,200 8,000 362,400 3,647,400 734,500 222,380 687,000 5,363,500 18,000 23,500 309,000 411,000 615,000 26,561,000 321,000 47,080 74,000 7,580,000 14,000 13,619,000 1,155,030 4,333,000 80,000

0.360 61.00 16.00 6.10 0.275 0.275 757 7.71 12.90 5 4.96 0.222 1410 6.05 9.77 76.00 6.1 0.71 15.92 0.475 6.03 0.0320 1.410 1.950 2.7 75.60 926.50 1.15 164.000 0.3100 0.2150 0.295

2.86 1.16 -0.62 0.33 1.85 1.85 0.33 1.45 0.00 2.04 0.00 -3.06 2.10 5.58 -0.10 1.60 4.99 2.90 -0.13 -2.06 2.38 3.23 14.63 -0.51 -1.82 -3.08 -1.44 -0.86 0.00 0.00 3.86 0.00

310,000 1,043,240 8,271,200 70,700 5,150,000 5,700,000 499,300 2,046,200 7,765,500 12,000 271,000 41,000 236,845 230,500 1,710,000 4,309,170 11,500,600 3,372,000 1,801,300 200,000 44,444,500 48,600,000 35,000 15,320,000 10,000 1,028,590 247,780 894,000 170,100 520,000 30,000 650,000

-35,200.00 38,126,711.00 -64,217,316.00

7.270 0.90 1.480 0.228 35.300 3.15 5.16 0.550

0.28 0.00 -1.33 4.11 1.00 -0.32 0.39 0.00

179,300 816,000 161,000 400,000 11,236,800 950,000 180,200 8,236,000

-37,792.00

245,445.00 -56,708,886 22,203,904.50 -73,800.00 3,000.00 -613,952.00 8,500.00 117,000.00 600.00 219,405,788.50 -1,224,638.00 -1,767,515 135,815,743.00 335,100.00 -143,489.50 56,921,485.00 62,500.00

4,331,906.00 828,045 -24,500.00 1,800,035.00 1,729,048.00 649,782.00 -39,975.00 -584,158.00 1,071,024.00 22,070,825.00 -1,211,591.50 -23,650.00 -28,500.00 5,937,854.00 210,000.00 -5,349,510.00 7,438,204.00 914,596.00 -26,982,968.00 1,336,910.00 5,983,714.00 32,840.00 -183,610.00 100,834,810.00 4,840,870.00 -22,050.00 9,758,600.00 57,836,804.00

-163,792,535.00 2,254,696.00 5,151,688.00

145,534,670.00 318,754.00 46,622,757.50 8,666,764.00 -142,000.00 662,082.00 64,458,384.00

-17,376,904.50 -58,762,860.00 -1,076,210.00

-43,700.00 105,009,780.00 50,050.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.128 0.490 33.95 0.860 0.155 0.96 1.66 1.26 4.09 0.099 0.2350 0.425 8.49 28.00 1.49 3.13 21.75 0.83 5.4 0.990 4.500

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 1 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 0.650 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 18 185 22.9 3486 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 8.8 79 4.39 2748 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.2 54.6 1.17 0.540 10.3 4.85 0.0580 3.2 87.45 9.9 1.49 6.27 956 1747 6.70 1.32 63.85 0.214 1.3300 2.19 7.90 4.36 1.13 2.74 0.570 2.55 3.76 0.275 0.830 17.2 4.95 2.4 8.95 99.00 21.95 1700.00 0.920 35.95 69.00 6.60 3.60 0.550 3.87 0.330 4.790

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.236 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

0.0046 2.22 4.47 12.80 0.245 0.63 0.475 7.30 0.760 0.290 0.295 0.305 0.0120 0.013 2.24 5.66 2.65 1.2600 0.0093 3.72 6.06 1.78 0.0120 130.00 2.4

70 553 515 12.28 111 1060

33 490 480 6.5 101 997

1047 78.95

1011 74.5

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum PREFERRED ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ GLOBE PREF P Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred F

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Alterra Capital Italpinas Xurpas

VALUE 1,158,587,963.00 1,570,234,056.51 2,178,288,846.948 2,378,291,169.69 1,595,577,346.993 175,117,672.627 9,182,244,119.966

FINANCIAL 1,584.29 (up) 31.54 INDUSTRIAL 11,643.08 (up) 79.54 HOLDING FIRMS 6,959.27 (up) 22.14 PROPERTY 2,914.92 (up) 1.29 SERVICES 1,424.75 (up) 21.41 MINING & OIL 11,468.80 (up) 282.07 PSEI 7,098.64 (up) 50.56 All Shares Index 4,095.76 (up) 25.89 Gainers: 113; Losers: 61; Unchanged: 42; Total: 216

Close

0.133 0.127 0.490 0.470 34.6 33.75 0.890 0.850 0.155 0.153 1.11 0.96 1.70 1.61 1.26 1.26 4.15 4.07 0.105 0.097 0.2350 0.2350 0.440 0.425 8.7 8.49 28.60 27.50 1.54 1.49 3.13 3.08 21.70 21.30 0.85 0.82 5.41 5.4 1.060 1.000 4.600 4.540 SERVICES 7.3 7.22 55.95 54.75 1.31 1.22 0.560 0.530 10.3 10.3 5.07 4.86 0.0610 0.0580 3.23 3.15 87.5 86.1 9.9 9.9 1.56 1.56 6.39 6.27 956 956 1796 1747 6.85 6.71 1.37 1.31 66.3 63.2 0.227 0.210 1.3600 1.3000 2.2 2.2 7.90 7.69 4.25 4.36 1.30 1.07 2.76 2.74 0.580 0.560 2.85 2.55 3.88 3.71 0.280 0.275 0.870 0.840 17.38 17.38 4.80 4.70 2.45 2.4 8.49 8.49 99.00 99.00 22.15 21.70 1735.00 1704.00 0.980 0.900 36.95 35.95 70.90 68.90 6.70 6.36 3.70 3.56 0.560 0.540 4.05 3.87 0.325 0.340 4.800 4.770 MINING & OIL 0.0046 0.0045 2.28 2.20 4.55 4.40 12.80 12.00 0.247 0.247 0.64 0.62 0.495 0.480 7.82 7.30 0.780 0.760 0.310 0.280 0.310 0.295 0.325 0.310 0.0130 0.0120 0.013 0.013 2.35 2.27 5.75 5.65 2.7 2.62 1.2500 1.2300 0.0092 0.0091 3.90 3.57 6.30 6.12 1.81 1.74 0.0120 0.0110 135.90 129.00 2.39 2.35

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.127 0.480 34.5 0.890 0.153 1.08 1.69 1.26 4.14 0.101 0.2350 0.440 8.69 27.65 1.5 3.13 21.40 0.84 5.4 1.050 4.550

-0.78 -2.04 1.62 3.49 -1.29 12.50 1.81 0.00 1.22 2.02 0.00 3.53 2.36 -1.25 0.67 0.00 -1.61 1.20 0.00 6.06 1.11

22,910,000 78,100,000 2,349,600 5,949,000 1,110,000 19,961,000 128,450,000 530,000 44,575,000 19,910,000 110,000 40,000 239,700 1,979,400 1,191,000 28,000 14,316,600 2,636,000 6,500 4,428,000 10,400,000

7.23 55.95 1.24 0.530 10.3 5.05 0.0580 3.15 86.6 9.9 1.56 6.39 956 1770 6.85 1.33 66.3 0.217 1.3300 2.2 7.90 4.29 1.23 2.75 0.560 2.8 3.85 0.275 0.850 17.38 4.80 2.45 8.49 99.00 22.15 1704.00 0.970 36.95 70.00 6.36 3.56 0.540 4.01 0.325 4.770

0.42 2.47 5.98 -1.85 0.00 4.12 0.00 -1.56 -0.97 0.00 4.70 1.91 0.00 1.32 2.24 0.76 3.84 1.40 0.00 0.46 0.00 -1.61 8.85 0.36 -1.75 9.80 2.39 0.00 2.41 1.05 -3.03 2.08 -5.14 0.00 0.91 0.24 5.43 2.78 1.45 -3.64 -1.11 -1.82 3.62 -1.52 -0.42

217,700 44,540 678,000 503,000 1,400 20,145,000 80,480,000 172,000 168,390 1,000 2,000 21,400 1,770 72,585 210,200 332,000 2,315,950 43,100,000 1,784,000 6,000 174,200 296,000 55,000 29,000 81,000 91,054,000 2,662,000 160,000 8,115,000 100 16,000 20,000 1,000 30 421,700 182,725 100,392,000 3,771,800 2,157,770 1,513,400 9,298,000 5,299,000 4,130,000 410,000 14,000

0.0045 2.28 4.55 12.80 0.247 0.63 0.480 7.50 0.760 0.310 0.295 0.310 0.0130 0.013 2.31 5.7 2.65 1.2300 0.0091 3.70 6.15 1.75 0.0120 135.90 2.35

-2.17 2.70 1.79 0.00 0.82 0.00 1.05 2.74 0.00 6.90 0.00 1.64 8.33 0.00 3.13 0.71 0.00 -2.38 -2.15 -0.54 1.49 -1.69 0.00 4.54 -2.08

124,000,000 109,000 795,000 300 20,000 457,000 2,760,000 26,300 18,888,000 20,440,000 82,580,000 10,880,000 8,900,000 75,000,000 791,000 3,345,000 62,000 225,000 25,000,000 330,000 3,170,700 1,448,000 7,900,000 550,760 70,000

2.74 -1.32 0.00 0.00 -2.70 0.00 -3.64 -0.59 2.56 0.00 0.00

110,260 25,000 2,000 422,000 7,810 1,050 320 3,070 30 35,500 66,910

2.27

768,000

0.00 2.64 -3.21

5,000 701,000 5,517,800

0.79

215,540

54.7 530 527 1.1 111 1028 1100 1018 78 76.5 77

56.2 54.8 56.2 523 523 523 527 526 527 1.1 1.07 1.1 109 108 108 1028 1028 1028 1061 1060 1060 1020 1012 1012 80 80 80 76.55 76.5 76.5 77 77 77 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.640 2.820 2.600 2.700 SME 3.66 3.66 3.66 3.66 3.03 3.25 2.95 3.11 18.7 18.6 17.52 18.1 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113.9 114.8 113.9 114.8

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

43,200.00 3,496,610.00 -1,099,080.00 -2,135,510.00 -3,134,720.00 -10,000.00

4,320,350.00 -908,040.00 109,010,945.00 -16,000.00 -17,068,830.00 73,604.00

-14,067,360.00 -60,000.00 -3,241,326.00 51,120.00 -1,376,285.00 13,200.00 -59,062,486.50 -149,250.00 -6,600.00 801,730.00 -17,440.00

11,294,470.00 -470,510.00 -179,240.00 -33,250.00 2,970.00 108,830.00 19,339,945.00 -31,279,250.00 -4,134,680.00 53,926,347.00 -30,590.00 -1,423,930.00 -6,122,400.00 -68,000.00

-48,740.00

4,754,280.00 -12,400.00 125,000.00 154,160.00 -3,641,437.00

-4,323,231.00 3,540.00 17,623,887.00 3,657,702.00

30,600.00 770,000.00

-79,000.00 27,693,058.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Prime Media Hldg

1.410

14.63

Da Vinci Capital

5.71

-7.90

Global-Estate

1.08

12.50

Liberty Flour

32.00

-5.88

Maxs Group

19

11.76

Phil. Racing Club

8.49

-5.14

Melco Crown

2.8

9.80

Swift Foods, Inc.

0.155

-4.91

Lorenzo Shipping

1.23

8.85

I-Remit Inc.

1.7

-4.49

Manila Mining `A'

0.0130

8.33

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.6

-4.06

Geograce Res. Phil. Inc.

0.310

6.90

RCBC `A'

31.7

-3.65

Suntrust Home Dev. Inc.

1.050

6.06

PCOR-Preferred B

1060

-3.64

Acesite Hotel

1.24

5.98

SBS Phil. Corp.

6.36

-3.64

House of Inv.

6.05

5.58

Xurpas

18.1

-3.21

SATURDAY: MARCH 12, 2016

B3

BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market climbs; Melco, ICTSI up STOCKS advanced for the second day, pushing the benchmark index near the 7,100-point level, as oil prices recovered and investors weighed European Central Bank’s latest rate cut.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 50 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 7,098.64 on Friday, the highest in four months.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also gained 25 points, or 0.6 percent, to settle at 4,095.76, on value turnover of P9.2 billion.

Seventeen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by casino operator Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp., which surged 9.8 percent to P2.80.

Port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. climbed 3.8 percent to P66.30, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the country’s second largest lender by assets, rose 3.2 percent to P84.10. First Gen Corp. added 3.1 percent to close at P21.90.

Meanwhile, Asian markets ended the week on a high Friday, with an afternoon rally erasing morning losses as investors changed tack on their view of comments from the European Central Bank head hinting its latest rate cut could be its last.

Regional markets sank into the red soon after opening as ECB boss Mario Draghi’s statement was seen an indication of the limitations on finance chiefs to drag the global economy out of its long-running torpor.

The bank on Thursday announced a cut in its deposit rate further into negative territory as part of a series of stimulus that also included a ramping up of its huge bond-buying quantitative easing scheme-- measures that surpassed expectations.

The news sent European stocks soaring and the euro tumbling as traders gave a loud cheer, with analysts saying it beat expectations.

But within two hours Draghi told a news conference he did not anticipate making any further cuts, sparking a wave of selling that spread into Asia on fears the bank was running out of options. With AFP

SSS forum. The Social Security System holds the SSS Stakeholders Forum at St. Agatha Resort attended by 148 employer and worker representatives in Bulacan province. Shown is SSS senior vice president for Luzon operations group Josie Magana (at the panel, fifth from left) as she responds to a query from one of the attendees. With her on the panel are (from left) SSS senior vice president for administration group May Catherine Ciriaco, senior vice president for information technology management group Joel Layson, chief actuary George Ongkeko, chief legal counsel Voltaire Agas, vice president for Luzon central division Vilma Agapito and Malolos branch head Francisco Paquito Lescano.

PLDT converts iflix investment into stake

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. said Friday its $15-million investment in iflix was converted into a 7.5-percent equity in Southeast Asia’s leading Internet TV service.

PLDT said the investment in iflix was converted from convertible notes into ordinary shares of stock, after the video streaming service provider completed this week a new round of funding led by Sky Plc, Europe’s leading entertainment company and the Indonesian company Emtek Group, through subsidiary PT Surya Citra Media Tbk. PLDT’s shares now account

for 7.5 percent of the total equity stock of iflix which had a post money valuation of $450 million, following the $45-million investment by Sky Plc and the additional investment by Emtek.

“This new round of funding validates our investment in iflix last year. It enables the company to further strengthen its leadership position and improve its In-

ternet TV services to the benefit of subscribers, particularly those of PLDT and Smart,” PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

Under the terms of the initial investment in iflix in April 2015, where PLDT subscribed for nonredeemable convertible notes, the new round of funding triggers the automatic conversion of the company’s convertible notes into ordinary shares and the termination of the convertible note agreement.

Catcha Group also invested another $15 million in iFlix, which planned to roll out the service across Southeast Asia, acquire rights to new content, produce original programming and market potential customers.

The fresh funds raised by iflix will be used to accelerate its growth in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as for expansion into new markets.

Patrick Grove, chairman of iflix earlier said the company was looking at Indonesia and Vietnam and was hoping to enter the Middle East and Africa this year.

As of end-2015, the internet TV service had a total of over a million subscribers, the majority of which are in the Philippines.

PLDT teamed up with iflix to offer to DSL and mobile subscribers of wireless brands Smart and Sun the largest library of top US, Asian and local TV shows and films at affordable prices.

ABS-CBN taps IBM to transform information technology system ABS-CBN Corp. said Friday it signed a partnership agreement with IBM as part of a strategy to modernize the information and technology network of the broadcast company.

ABS-CBN under the agreement will transfer its application management services to IBM. IBM will simplify and integrate ABS-CBN’s existing IT operation through a centralized team and a standardized delivery framework of best practices, such as develop-

ment and operations, agile development and testing.

The multinational technology and consulting corporation will establish a company-wide IT architecture that will support ABSCBN’s enterprise transformation and enable them to respond quickly to market changes.

The two companies will work closely to innovate and deliver a full suite of integrated solutions to enhance customer experience.

“Our partnership with IBM al-

lows us to focus on our IT strategic initiatives while they support us with solutions that address our requirements considering the fast-paced environment in which we exist,” ABS-CBN chief technology officer Mark Lopez said.

“Services agreement are key in helping clients transform their business, focus on their core strengths and quickly respond to market changes,” he said.

IBM Philippines president and country general manager Luis

Pineda said the company’s AMS solutions for ABS-CBN would enable them to address immediate IT transformation requirements needed to drive digital innovation.

“It provides them an opportunity to concentrate on the strategic parts of their business for increased efficiency and profitability. New generation of technologies and practices can help them visualize, virtualize and integrate business process and systems more efficiently. We are ex-

cited to team up with ABS-CBN and explore ways in which IBM can deliver value to their organization,” Pineda said.

ABS-CBN earlier reported a net income of P1.89 billion in the January to September period last year, up from P1.54 billion in the same period in 2014.

ABS-CBN’s consolidated revenues in the first nine months of 2015 rose 11 percent to P27.8 billion from P25.06 billion a year earlier. Darwin G. Amojelar

SATURDAY: MARCH 12, 2016

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BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

IN BRIEF ERC clears Meralco THE Energy Regulatory Commission ruled that the P0.42 per kilowatthour rate increase of Manila Electric Co. in February is justified after a review of the documents submitted to the regulator.

“Based on our review of the submitted documents, Meralco was able to justify the price increase of P0.42 per kWh last month,” ERC chairman Jose Vicenter Salazar said.

He said based on the review of the documents submitted by Meralco on the February billing, the regulator determined that Meralco was implementing the power supply agreements as approved by the commission.

“The implementation by Meralco is consistent with the approved formula as prescribed in the approved PSA,” he said.

Salazar said the commission also determined that the generation charge imposed by Meralco for the February 2016 billing at a rate of P4.1691 was lower compared with the February 2015 rate of P5.2384.

He said the January-February 2016 increase in the generation charge of P0.2453 per kwh was also much lower than the January-February 2015 generation rate increase of P0.5202 per kwh.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SMC dividend rates CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. has set the dividend rates for the planned P30-billion preferred shares offering.

San Miguel said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the dividend rate for the preferred shares, which would be issued in three subseries, are 6.5793 percent per annum for the subseries 2-G, 6.3222 percent for subseries 2-H, and 6.3355 percent for the subseries 2-I. The offering period is set from March 14 to 18, while the listing date is scheduled on March 30.

San Miguel is offering 280 million preferred shares plus an oversubscription of 120 million at an offering price of P75 apiece.

San Miguel hired eight banks to handle the transaction. They are BDO Capital and & Investment Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., ING Bank, PNB Capital and Investments Corp., RCBC Capital Corp., SB Capital Investments Corp., Standard Chartered Bank and United Coconut Planters Bank.

San Mniguel plans to use proceeds from the offering to repay a portion of the company’s US dollar-denominated obligations. Jenniffer B. Austria

Ayala bond offering

Negros solar plant. San Carlos Sun Power, a unit of Aboitiz Power Corp., completes the construction of its 59-megawatt solar power project in Negros Occidental. San Carlos completed the P4.9-billion project before the Department of Energy’s March 15 deadline for solar power projects in the country. The plant is now exporting power to the Visayas grid. The company plans to conduct a formal inauguration of the solar project in April. It is expected to generate more than 85 gigawatt hours of clean electricity a year, enough to power 27,600 homes.

Clark firm fires up P1.9-b solar plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CLARK Freeport, Pampanga—The joint venture of three energy companies have completed and started exporting power to the Luzon grid from its 22.325-megawatt solar power facility here, joining the bandwagon in the race for the feed-in tariff eligibility.

this point, but we have met all the requirements. So we will be talking to DoE next week and I fully expect this will make it to the second round of FIT,” Driscoll said.

He said the company started exporting power to the grid in the last two days and was waiting certification from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

“The documents required have been submitted to the DoE. Monday, we will have three days of full generation data, which will be certified by the NGCP. We will deliver it to the DoE on Monday and we’ll talk about the timing of the COE [certificate of eligibility] of the project. Then, the ERC will issue the final COE,” Driscoll said.

He said the company planned to put up another 20-MW to 25-MW solar power plant at the Clark Green City. The construction would depend on the third round of installation target for solar, he added.

“We signed the lease, doing the design work, going through all the permitting. We would start construction later this year,” he said.

He said the Clark Green City solar project was expected to cost lower than the recently-completed plant.

“Partly due to economies of scale, the solar power prices are coming down. We’ll be able to manage some other costs and development cost will be lower,” Driscoll said.

CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. plans to raise as much as P20 billion through a bond offering to finance capital spending requirements up to 2019.

Ayala Corp. chief finance officer Jose Teodoro Limcaoco said in a briefing the company would raise at least P10 billion to P15 billion in the third quarter of the year and place the balance under shelf registration.

Ayala plans to use proceeds from the fund raising activity to refinance the group’s P10-billion bonds maturing in April 2017.

Limcaoco said the Philippine macroeconomic fundamentals remained strong and conducive for companies to raise funds through the capital markets.

“We are happy with the new SRC [Securities Regulation Code] rules which allow shelf registration. We think that is great for the capital requirements. We think the market remain conducive, we are are hoping to go out after the elections,” Limcaoco said.

Ayala managing director Paolo Maximo Borromeo said the conglomerate was also looking for investment opportunities overseas, especially in Southeast Asia. Jenniffer B. Austria

Foreign direct investments dropped in 2015—BSP

DBS keeps 6% target

By Julito G. Rada

DBS Bank of Singapore maintained its gross domestic product growth forecast for the Philippines this year at 6.1 percent, saying the robust private consumption will offset any potential drag from a moderation in investments ahead of the May presidential elections.

The bank in a report Friday said the strong fourth-quarter gross domestic product expansion of 6.3 percent might continue and be carried over this year.

“GDP growth picked up momentum in the fourth quarter [to 6.3 from 6 percent in the third quarter] and this is likely to translate into stronger growth this year,” DBS said.

“The expansion in investment could moderate amid possible delays in some government projects ahead of the elections. But private consumption remains robust above 6 percent, providing the underlying support to the economy. We maintain our GDP growth forecast at 6.1 percent this year,” it said. Julito G. Rada

NET inflows of foreign direct investments in 2015 missed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ official target of $6 billion due to lower reinvestment of earnings and debt instruments inflows.

Bangko Sentral data released Friday showed net inflows last year reached $5.72 billion, 5 percent lower than the $6-billion target. They were also 0.3 percent lower than the revised $5.74-billion net inflows in 2014.

Debt instruments declined to $3.1 billion from $3.3 billion, while reinvestment of earnings fell 14.8 percent to $747 million

Mabalacat Solar Philippines, Sindicatum Renewable Energy Co. and Amstrong Asset Management built the solar power plant on a 25-hectare land leased from Clark Development Corp.

It is the first renewable energy project built within the free port area.

Mabalacat Solar is headed by

chairman Jose Leviste Jr. Sindicatum president and chief executive Robert Driscoll said the power plant was funded from pure equity with project cost estimated at $40 million (P1.9 billion).

“This one is FIT [feed-in tariff] supported. We have not received the certificate of endorsement at

on year.

However, net placements in equity capital increased by 15.1 percent to $1.8 billion from $1.6 billion, partially compensating for the declines registered in the other FDI components.

“Equity capital placements originated mainly from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

By economic activity, equity capital investments were infused mainly to manufacturing; financial and insurance; real estate; wholesale and retail trade; and construction activities,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement Friday.

FDI net inflows in December

declined 51 percent to $273 million from $561 million on year.

The December figure was also lower than the $464-million net inflows in November. “... More than half of the FDI net inflows during the month were investments in debt instruments, consisting largely of intercompany borrowing/lending between foreign direct investors and their subsidiaries/affiliates in the Philippines which amounted to $140 million. This level was seven times the $20 million registered in December 2014,” Bangko Sentral said.

The other FDI components also posted net inflows. Net equity

capital infusion reached $77 million as equity capital placements of $97 million more than offset the $20-million withdrawals.

These equity capital placements were channeled to financial and insurance; manufacturing; real estate; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; and administrative and support services activities.

The bulk of equity capital investments during the period came mostly from Singapore, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings amounted to $56 million during the month.

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD Thousands dying in Sudan NAIROBI—The many ways people have died during South Sudan’s twoyear civil war are well-documented, but the number killed is unknown.

Diamond expected to sell for $35m HONG KONG—A 10.10 carat vivid blue diamond is expected to set the record for the most expensive piece of jewelry sold at auction in Asia despite an ongoing growth slowdown in China’s economy, Sotheby’s said Friday.

The “De Beers Millennium Jewel 4” is expected to fetch between $30 million and $35 million at the April 5 sale in Hong Kong, and is described by the auction house as the largest oval blue diamond ever to appear at auction and “internally flawless”.

The diamond, which is slightly larger than an almond in size, came from South Africa’s Cullinan Mine and was one of 12 displayed at London’s Millennium Dome to mark the year 2000.

“There are no more than a dozen or so blue diamonds of fancy vivid color and over 10 carats in the world, so they are very, very rare,” Sotheby’s Deputy Chairman for Asia Quek Chin Yeow told AFP. The sale will come five months after the 12.03-carat “Blue Moon of Josephine” was bought for a record $48 million in Geneva by an Asian property tycoon—a further sign the jewelry auction market remains strong despite slowing Chinese growth.

The world’s second-largest economy expanded 6.9 percent in 2015, the worst performance in a quarter of a century and a far cry from years of doubledigit increases. AFP

Rehearsal. Hungarian singer lyric mezzo-soprano Gabriella Letay Kiss, in the role of Leonora, performs on stage at the Erkel Theater in Budapest on March 10, 2016, during a rehearsal for the opera “The Troubadour” by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi and produced by Hungarian Judit GalgÛczy. The premiere will be held on March 18, 2016. AFP

Men, women and children have been shot, speared, burned, castrated, hung, drowned, run over, suffocated, starved and blown up, their corpses abandoned where they fell, bulldozed into mass graves or, in at least one case, eaten in ritual cannibalism.

But the UN has stuck to a guesstimate of 10,000 dead since the early months of the war, even as the killing escalated and spread across the country.

A year into the war, in November 2014, the International Crisis Group, which has closely tracked the fighting, told AFP at least 50,000 had died.

This month, the UN finally caught up, quoting the same figure but over a two-year span.

Sudan expert Eric Reeves, a professor at Smith College in the US, said failure to count the dead was a failure of morality.

“If we give up on establishing mortality estimates we are, in one way or another, saying that the lives don’t really count,” he told AFP. Aid workers and officials who did not want to speak on the record said the true figure might be as high as 300,000 a figure comparable to the number killed in Syria during five years of fighting.

“The level and intensity of violence has been above and beyond what we have seen almost anywhere else,” said one worker for an international aid agency which operates in multiple conflict zones, and who asked not to be named. Over 30 aid workers have been killed since the war broke out in December 2013.

The minimum figure of 50,000 is of those killed in direct conflict, but if those killed as a consequence of war are included the numbers skyrocket.

That would include starvation from aid blockades, such as the 40,000 people the UN warned last month were in “catastrophic” conditions potentially famine, if the areas were not too dangerous to gather the data needed to declare it as well as documented atrocities such as civilians suffocated in shipping containers.

It would also include those who died due to lack of health care following the targeted destruction of hospitals.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned of “far-reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of people” with six of its clinics and hospitals attacked, looted or torched sometimes repeatedly.

Media mogul died of trauma, say reports WASHINGTON—A Russian media mogul and former Kremlin aide, found lifeless in a Washington hotel last year, died of blunt force trauma to the head, reports said Thursday.

Mikhail Lesin also suffered injuries to his neck, torso and upper and lower extremities, the Washington Post reported, citing the US capital’s medical examiner’s office.

Lesin, who helped launch the Russian English-language television network RT, was found dead in November at the age of 57.

The findings contradict Russian state media reports, which said the former minister of media affairs

died of a heart attack.

The Post quoted Washington police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck as saying that the case remains under investigation.

He declined to say whether the medical examiner’s findings indicate that a crime may have been committed, it said.

Sternbeck and the medical examiner’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.

A controversial figure, Lesin had been accused of limiting press freedom in Russia.

He was Russia’s minister of press, television and radio between

1999 and 2004, and later served as a Kremlin aide.

In 2013, he became head of Gazprom-Media Holding, the media arm of state energy giant Gazprom, and oversaw the work of Russia’s top liberal radio station Echo of Moscow.

Lesin resigned a year later, citing family reasons.

In Moscow, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted on Facebook early Friday that the Russian embassy in Washington had repeatedly inquired about the probe into Lesin’s death but had never received a reply. AFP

Sunrise. This picture taken, on March 11, 2016, shows a model posing in front of the Eiffel tower at sunrise in Paris. AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Norwegian teenagers play refugees for a day TRANDUM CAMP, Norway—In a dark snowy forest, two military vehicles thunder by, the wailing sirens waking those who have just dozed off. Exhausted, the group must quickly pack up camp and resume their night march.

This is not a scene playing in the Balkans but in Norway, one of the richest countries in the world, where a group of teenagers are spending 24 hours on the road, living as refugees.

In a country where teens often walk around with luxury handbags and the latest iPhones, the aim is to raise awareness and give youngsters a bit of insight into the lives of millions of people much less privileged than themselves.

For many, the experience is part of their “civil confirmation” a secular version of the Christian coming-of-age ceremony which is

a rite of passage for 15-year-olds in northern Europe.

“I hate my life,” groans a young girl in the group, some of whom are still asleep on their feet.

The ‘UN camp’ where they thought they had found refuge for the night has just been ‘attacked’.

In the darkness, with temperatures hovering around zero, they must press on, ignoring their hunger and diving into snowbanks to hide at the first glare of headlights.

Their journey began around 12 hours earlier at a decommissioned military camp near Oslo airport, just a stone’s throw from a real

detention center for illegal aliens awaiting deportation.

Their watches and cell phones confiscated, the teens have been grouped into ‘families’ of 20 who have had to flee unrest in a fictitious Sudan, crossing imaginary borders to reach Norway to seek asylum.

En route, they come up against the red-tape nightmare of a Kafkaesque and corrupt bureaucracy, the bullying of sinister border guards who bark orders at them in poor English, and walk miles on ever-hungry stomachs...

“Netflix in the bath,” fantasizes one ‘refugee’ aloud. “Netflix AND a kebab in the bath,” says another.

For dinner that night, they had only a few rice balls. Most of them devoured their meal, though some were put off by label with an apparent expiry date of 1998.

“The power of a label,” sighs the ‘head’ of the ‘UN camp’, Jonas Statsengen, one of the adult volunteers running the session.

As the hours pass, the teens’ good-natured laughter gradually fades and swearing takes over.

“Horribly tough,” says Ebbe Marienborg Schieldrop, a teenager playing the role of a father in his group.

“It’s obviously much worse for real refugees, but the hunger, the fatigue, all of it... It’s exhausting.”

Although the role play was not created in response to the ongoing migration crisis which has engulfed Europe over the past year, the sudden proximity of the refugees’ plight has given it particular resonance.

Since the concept was imported from Denmark in 2004, some

80,000 Norwegian youngsters have gone through the experience of living life as a refugee for a day.

“They leave with a little extra soul,” says Lasse Moen Sorensen, deputy head of Refugee Norway, a non-profit organization.

And while it only scratches the surface of a much harsher reality, it helps raise awareness of the refugees’ plight.

“We’re very lucky,” acknowledges one of the participants, Birgitte Solli, her eyelids heavy from exhaustion.

“This is learning by doing,” explains Kenneth Johansen, founder of Refugee Norway.

“If you read about refugees, you’ll remember about 20 percent.

And if you experience it, you’ll remember 80 percent. You will learn it for the rest of your life,” he says.

“If you see a news segment or read about it, you’ll remember the feeling you had at Camp Refugee,” he says.

The experience ends with a review, with Johansen helping the youngsters put things into perspective, using hard-hitting videos to drive the point home.

“Never forget this night you spent outdoors, crossing borders with your backpacks and all the yelling. That’s what 60 million real refugees are living through everyday,” Johansen tells the groggy teens. AFP

Japan marks 5t anniversary of quake, tsunami

Stranded. A girl is pictured near laundry put up to dry on March 11, 2016, in a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. AFP

TOK YO—Japan paused on Friday to mark five years since an offshore earthquake spawned a monster tsunami that left about 18,500 people dead or missing along its northeastern coast and sparked the worst nuclear disaster in a quarter century.

Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other participants at a national ceremony in Tokyo bowed their heads along with residents across the affected region at 2:46 pm (0546 GMT) the exact moment on March 11, 2011 the magnitude 9.0 quake struck under the Pacific Ocean.

The massive earthquake unleashed a giant wall of water that swallowed schools and entire neighborhoods, with unforgettable images of

panicked residents fleeing to higher ground and vehicles and ships bobbing in the swirling waters of flooded towns.

The waves also swamped power supplies at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, causing reactor meltdowns that released radiation in the most dangerous nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

In the northern city of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture the region that suffered the most deaths survivors and bereaved family members gathered at a Buddhist statue built for the repose of victims’ souls in front of a huge breakwater at Arahama beach where massive waves came ashore five years ago.

Some joined hands in prayer, while a woman threw a bouquet of flowers into the sea. AFP

Kim Jong-Un orders further nuclear tests SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has ordered further nuclear tests, state media said Friday, as the military tensions surged on the Korean peninsula with South Korean and US forces engaged in largescale joint exercises condemned by Pyongyang.

Since the joint drills began Monday, the North has issued daily warnings and statements, talking up its

nuclear strike capabilities and threatening to turn Seoul and Washington into “flames and ashes.”

Just days after he was photographed posing in front of what state media described as a miniaturized nuclear warhead, Kim said the weapon required further testing.

Overseeing a ballistic missile launch on Thursday, Kim ordered “more nuclear explosion tests to estimate the destructive

power of the newly produced nuclear warheads,” the North’s official KCNA news agency said.

Experts are divided as to just how far the North may have gone in shrinking warheads to a size capable of fitting on a ballistic missile a major step forward in strike capability that would present a heightened threat to South Korea, other countries in the region and, eventually, the US mainland.

According to KCNA, Thursday’s launch of two short-range ballistic missiles, which traversed the eastern part of the country before falling into the East Sea (Sea of Japan), was part of a nuclear strike exercise.

The aim was to simulate conditions for “exploding nuclear warheads from the preset altitude above targets in the ports under enemy control,” the agency said. AFP

Victory. An Iraqi soldier flashes the sign for victory as he guides pickup trucks evacuating civilians to a safe area on March 10, 2016, after retaking the town of Zankura, northwest of Ramadi, from the Islamic State jihadist group in Anbar province.. AFP

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PROPERTY

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Solar power. First Toledo Solar Energy Corp. (FTSEC), in partnership with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Ragusa (SSHJR), launched a 60-MW solar powered project that will benefit households and electric cooperatives in Barangay Talavera in Toledo City. More than twenty mothers of day-care pupils from the barangay were among the first batch of women to participate in a sewing skills training program also launched by the partnership. The power facility is expected to displace 1.72 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions over 20 years. This is equal to planting 1.5 million trees over the same period. At the launch, FTSEC also turned over to SSHJR several electric sewing machines for the project. Shown in photo are SSHJR superior Sr. Helen Balagbis, and Talavera barangay captain Nestor Mahinog.

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Growing caution. Residential developers are slowing the pace of construction.

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OVER SUPPLY IN CEBU?

ebu, the second-biggest city in the Philippines, enjoyed a property boom in recent years as growth in the local economy outstripped that of the capital, Manila. But now demand is faltering and the southern city’s previously thriving residential sector faces short-term oversupply risks.

Growth has come partly from a flourishing business process outsourcing sector and partly from the fact that the island of Cebu, with miles of tropical sandy beaches, attracts the largest numbers of tourists in the Philippines: 3.5m foreign and local tourists visited between January and October 2015, up 4.1 per cent on the same period in 2014.

The Central Visayas region, of which Cebu is a part, had economic growth of 8.8 per cent in 2014, compared with Metro Manila’s 5.9 percent.

Land reclamation projects have opened new space for large developments and a thriving residential

sector has been boosted by foreign buyers, who account for between a quarter and a third of condominium sales. Real estate in Cebu has long been seen as a safe investment and its central location helps attract investment from around the country. Property prices have risen 5 to 10 per cent a year over the past five years.

But after an increase in construction by major developers such as Ayala Land, Filinvest and Megaworld, supply in the residential market has begun to outstrip demand.

Colliers, an international property agency, estimates that condominium sales in Cebu fell 20 per cent in 2015, a sharp decline that follows the softening of the residential market in Metro Manila.

Demand has faltered under restrictions on mortgage lending introduced by the central bank in 2014 and as the prospect of rising US interest rates deterred foreign investment in property across

emerging markets.

On a recent visit to Cebu, FT Confidential Research, a unit of the Financial Times, found growing caution in the residential market, with developers slowing the pace of construction and of new market releases.

Ayala Land, for example, is staggering pre-sales across its four brands: the higher end Ayala Land Premier and Alveo Land brands, and lower end Avida and Amaia.

FTCR expects the slowdown to last for a couple of years, after which supply should rebalance with demand.

Underlying demand remains solid. Cebu’s population of 3.5m is expected to grow about 3 per cent a year over the coming decade, bolstered by workers migrating from the surrounding regions and by the large numbers of college graduates and outsourcing workers attracted to the city in recent years. Financial Times.

Momentum-builder. PropertyGuru, an online property portal group in Asia, will be holding the Property Report Congress Philippines 2016, a high-level conference to discuss the past, present and future of the country’s real estate industry on April 7, 2016 at the Fairmont Hotel. The summit will feature the country’s top industry experts, including opening keynote speaker Lindsay J. Orr, chief operating officer of Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines; John W. Mims, chief connector and managing partner of The Hunting Ridge Group; and Dr. Francisco G. Dakila Jr, managing director, Monetary Policy Sub-Sector of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The congress will include sponsor exhibits, industry overview and outlook, an international networking session and lunch, a 30-minute workshop, and expert-level discussions throughout the day. A black-tie gala dinner of the Philippines Property Awards 2016 immediately follows.

Manhattan-chic living. Top Market Property Development and Management Inc. recently introduced 3 Forty Fifth Residences, a 14-floor development inside Northgtate Cyberzone, Alabang in Muntinlupa that offers 71 spaces limited to eight units per floor.

The condominium sits on an 864 square meter lot area, and is strategically located in the Alabang business district’s information technology center, which houses the country’s top BPO and other Fortune 500 companies. The development is now ready for occupancy. Shown in the photo are one of the studio-type units on tap.

Property boom centered. The Residences Commonwealth by Century Properties is in a setting that is as auspicious as a community can get: smack in the center of a property boom in Quezon City. Various offices and commercial centers are rising here, opening up opportunities for the property’s appreciation. Other “auspicious” developments of Century Properties are the Acqua Private Residences and Azure Urban Resort Residences. With Residences Commonwealth, the locations of these developments are striking: Mandaluyong, Bicutan, and Commonwealth, all centers of activity, from commercial, educational and religious standpoints. Acqua is at the border of two great cities—Makati and Mandaluyong. Azure is located at the crossroads of the South Luzon Expressway and Bicutan, Parañaque. Clearly, it It takes more than luck to find an ideal place to live these days.

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

Feint and shoot. Construction giant Wilcon Home Depot and retailer Mercury Drug are among the new wave of office developers shaking up the market. Good news for shoppers as competition drags down prices.

OFFICE HIGH RISES ALIVE, KICKING BUT GLUT A THREAT

By Joel D. Lacsamana BIG, but slow-footed real estate brands like Megaworld, SM Prime and Ayala Land, watch out. A new wave of office developers are “muddying up the waters”, so to speak, at least for the burgeoning work space needs of the BPO industry, which real estate analysts bet is going to expand even more for the rest of the decade.

Far from slowing down, the BPO industry’s number of full time employees (FTEs) grew from 1 million in 2014 to 1.2 million in 2015, and is seen to expand to a projected 1.3 million in 2016, according to data provided

by JLL Philippines, a real estate analyst firm.

Sheila Lobien, JLL national director, said that 1.2 million FTEs would require an estimated of-

fice space of 4.8 million square meters. The projected 1.3 million FTEs in 2016 would need a total of 5.2 million square meters or an additional 400,000 sqm. from the 2015 level.

Niche developer Panorama Development Corporation, which previously focused only on residentials and warehouses, now has an office portfolio of close to 70,000 sqm. spread over

Bay City rising. Real estate player Anchor Land Holdings is building a residential condominium, plus two more projects in the pipeline – an office structure, and a 5-storey building that will incorporate the biggest seafood restaurant in the country - in Manila’s reclaimed area. The multi-tower Monarch Parksuites, with over 8,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor amenities, is Anchor Land’s biggest residential condo project to date. The 12-storey, two-tower Anchor Land Corporate Center draws a bead on BPOs and other multinational companies. The East Ocean restaurant will be built into a five-storey building that will beckon vacationing tourists and business people drawn to the area. Aside from the Bay City area, Anchor Land’s 2016 pipeline includes projects in Binondo and Roxas Boulevard, which are forecast to earn P13.3B revenue. But Bay area is where the action is. The development is fast shaping up to become the Philippines’ leisure hub, with global and regional leaders in the hotel and property industry all here.

three towers. More than half of its inventory has been leased even if the third building is still to be completed this year. In early 2015, Morning Star’s three buildings offering a total 66,775 sqm. were fully leased.

Glut looming ahead?

The market has been favorable to those who invested in the office segment five or six years ago, said Lobien. But following an estimated supply glut of close to 800,000 sqm. by the end of this year, new real estate players are forewarned to strategically time building completions, and to avoid adopting a herd mentality to avoid vacancies.

No worries, said JLL head of research, consulting and valuation Claro Cordero. He

assured that BPO demand, which has been driving the Philippine office market for over a decade, is expected to continue growing.

“Supply spiked in 2015 and again is most likely to peak in 2016. Building completions in 2017 and 2018 have been projected to decline,” he said.

He expressed confidence that oversupply will be fully absorbed in the next two years. The rate of growth in supply has simply been higher than the rate of growth of demand.

Recurring income streams offered by rental leases continue to be attractive to businesses with more cash than they need at the moment. According to Cordero, most of these boutique office players appear to be investing in

real estate as a means of diversification. “You don’t want to be exposed only to one segment of the economy. You plan for the rainy day by venturing into property,” he said.

A JLL global report reinforced this view, noting that “there is a greater propensity to save and a greater proportion of these savings are expected to target real estate.” In addition to providing stable cash flows, office properties occupy land that appreciates over time.

Boutique office players also seem to provide lessors more options than established office developers. They are willing to offer options like energy efficient spaces with LEED certifications in a bid to attract the attention of office occupiers.

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TATUm ANchETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

P oP cU LT U RE

LIFE

Travel to places you’ve never been to

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Remove hateful social media posts that could give a negative impression to prospective employers

10 ThIngS yOu ShOulD DO AfTER yOu gRADuATE

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ongratulations!

You have successfully gone through an important phase in your life despite the struggles and hurdles! Let us welcome you to the world of adulting.

Before you begin, here are some 10 things you should do after you graduate: 1. CELEBRATE! You’ve earned your degree and that’s a big thing. Savor the moment and enjoy it with your loved ones. We are certain that your family and friends are proud that you’ve pulled through.

2. URGENT: CLEAN UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS! We get it. You don’t care, you don’t need to please everybody, it’s your personal feed, and you lived your college life to the fullest – but your disgusting photos and hateful posts should go on private and be accessible only by the people you trust. Let’s face it. Employers are big on personality and impression matters. We don’t want to become the latest meme in the office, do we?

3. CLEAN YOUR ROOM After cleaning up your social media accounts, do your mom a favor and clean your room. Since you’re moving on to the next chapter of your life, you will want to start a clean slate by throwing out all the junk and storing your keepsakes. With that said…

4. RAID YOUR OWN CLOSET Boys and girls, you might finally have an excuse to go shopping, but don’t go all out. Just get yourself a few nice clothes and figure out what you will need for work. But before we jump to work: 5. READ 6 BOOKS If you are a bookworm, take this time to read books. Trust us when we say that you won’t be able to read as many books as you could when you were still in school. If you are not book savvy, book summaries are a thing now so you also need to indulge.

6. UNLOCK YOUR FITNESS GOALS

By EulA SEE

As passé as it sounds, health is wealth.

You can’t say that it’s not your thing. We get it – you love your pizzas and you’re a foodie. But hey, you can be a foodie and a health junkie at the same time. The point is, start your fitness journey ASAP because it’s the best investment you can give yourself.

7. TRAVEL ALONE Traveling might be overrated but it is still a good experience to travel on your own.

Let your feet take you to places that will let you relax and unwind before you actually step into the world of adulting. Going to places on your own allows you to meet people, enjoy, and learn new things.

8. TRY SOMETHING NEW Go ahead. Explore. Face your fears and try something new. Take scuba diving lessons, skydive, bungee jump, or do anything that will keep your adrenals open. The point is, do something you’ve never done before.

Get a few nice clothes suitable for the corporate world

9. FIND YOUR LIFE PEG Some are really lucky that they were able to find their passion earlier. But for most, to find that one thing you can continue doing for the rest of your life takes time. After you graduate, talk to 20 people and learn from their experiences. From there, you can actually figure out the things you want and you don’t.

10. FIND WORK THAT DEFINES YOU Go and work on that great resume and submit. When you’re looking for a job, understand that companies are not just looking at your skills; they are also trying to figure out if you will bring positivity in their companies. If you think you’re not for the corporate world, you have the option to expose yourself to entrepreneurship. Remember that being young is never a disadvantage.

The world is waiting for you. Take on it like a true fighter!

Find something that you are really passionate about

Clean up your room and organize your stuff

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

c a m p u s b e at

It’s the start of a new journey by charmaIne LoverIa

S

chool is almost over, and soon the days will start without you worrying about your thesis, or wondering if you will see your crush pass by the hallway. That’s because a whole new gateway is about to open, and that problematic thesis

will soon turn into new research-heavy projects that could actually get you paid. You’ve made it – and yes, you’ve made Momma proud! So now, how do you really begin for yet another journey – the one that leads you to the road to adulting?

Aries Brylle Ventura, 19 Bachelor of science in information technology PoLyteChniC UniVeRsity of the PhiLiPPines

Kenneth Celzo Barandon, 22 Graphic systems technology JAPAn sChooL of AD VAnCe teChnoLoGy

Poverty motivates me. I come from an indigent family whose monthly average income is less than P10,000. I have four siblings. My parents got separated during my third year in college and this situation is what motivates me. I need to finish my college degree not because I want to, but because I need to. If I will not strive for success then I will be a great failure to my siblings.

Since my parents were not able to support my studies, I found ways to continue my studies working as a part-time programmer and developing different systems for clients.

As a graduating student, my education has prepared me for my career to the extent that I am not worried.

I have been prepared to be competitive enough and to take on new and greater challenges and responsibility.

In the next two to three years, I see myself becoming a good programmer but as of now, I need to be trained further and work with competence in order for me to achieve my goals in life. My ideal job is to work 48 hours a week while I create software or programs that can automate manual office work. And of course, a good salary must come with the job.

Mark ezekiel Alarcon, 22 Marketing Management iMUs institUte CoLLeGe My education has been focused in not only learning the fundamentals, but also on the practical application of the information learned within those classes. When I get a job, I want to set some benchmarks for the company, for example Employee Motivation, Increase in Profit, Customer Satisfaction.

I have learned so many things from my alma mater, from basic knowledge to complicated ones.

College has prepared me well for the challenges of the real world. I intend to pursue a career in the field of animation in order for me to acquire more knowledge and enhance the skills I acquired in school.

My ideal job would be in the field of animation. I can see myself being a part of the creation of a famous animated film in the future. Watching movies which implement 3D animation motivates me and makes me want to create an equally excellent piece.

Kimberly Gabrielle Diaz, 22 Bachelor of science in information technology sti CoLLeGe LAs PiÑAs Some of my recent goals are to graduate from my alma mater and to find a job suitable for my course.

I would like to develop myself to as much as possible become the best I can be, learning as much as I can about the role of an IT specialist and about how I can best serve the needs of the department and the company when I get a job. Eventually, I would like to become a lead and mentor to help others develop in their respective roles. An ideal job is where I can truly earn the experience and the knowledge needed to enhance my skills. It’s fine with me if I start from the bottom as long as I’m comfortable with my surroundings and in the near future I can become the person I want to be.

I am motivated by constant progress in my work; everyday is a new opportunity for me to enhance skills and knowledge I acquired in school. Seeing great outcomes from my work is my motivation.

We asked several graduating students about their plans after graduation, what their motivations are and the kind of job they are eyeing. What is really in these millennials’ heads after breaking free from college?

Rechelle s. Gangcuangco, 19 Bachelor of science in information technology AMA CoMPUteR CoLLeGe As a graduating student, I can say that going through a hard situation in college is an achievement that can lead me to my real life goals.

After graduation, I want to find a job that is related to my degree where I can demonstrate my skills and the things that I’ve learned from my studies. I want to be able to stay in an organization where everyone will recognize me for my good work and to become an inspiration for many youngsters.

Lourdes Vecinal de Guzman, 21 Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research PoLyteChniC UniVeRsity of the PhiLiPPines As a graduating student, my four years of studying in PUP helped me develop my skills and knowledge.

Also, through the help of internship programs, I had the opportunity to have a peek into what goes on inside corporate organizations and show me how I can cope with certain situations. My goal is not only to find a regular job that will fit the course that I had taken, but also one that will satisfy my needs.

My motivation is my family. I want my parents to be proud of my achievements and also to pay them back for their sacrifices in sending me to university.

WE ARE 'GRAD' YoU mADE IT! Perfect books for new graduates

One of the most gratifying moments that any parent can experience is to see his son or daughter proudly wearing a toga and receiving that diploma which embodies hard work, the sacrifices and sometimes, penny pinching that had to be done to put the beloved child through school.

And this sense of pride is something that aunts, uncles and grandparents also collectively share, because graduating – whether in elementary, high school, or in college is a major achievement.

With March being the start of the graduation season, a challenge for parents, relatives and friends who want to convey their shared pride and pleasure at a loved one’s accomplishment is finding a meaningful gift that can last for more than a day. For sure, there’s no better way to reward these achievers than to give them something that would bring them more wisdom, inspiration, and enjoyment as they prepare for the next phase in their life’s journey – books!

OMF Lit’s GRAD YOU MADE IT sale would be a perfect fit, with great discounts also offered for the duration of the sale from March 14-31 in OMF Lit and Passages Bookshops PCBS branches all over the country as well as the Passages online store.

Check out these selected titles offering discounts by as much as 20 percent: Grace@Work by Grace Chong 10 Keys to College Success by ES Leung-Yao PRESENT! by Grace Chong Just Do Something by Kevin de Young Your Career Roadmap by Nelson Dy Bible Promises for Students

All the Places to Go: How Will You Know by John Ortberg 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman

Gift and Award Bibles meantime offer 10 percent off on the following: KJV Gift and Award NKJV Gift and Award NLT Gift and Award NIV Gift and Award Bible for Kids For high school and college graduates, these titles that are priced very reasonably would be very practical and helpful: Attitude 101 and Self Improvement 101 by John C. Maxwell (conversational Taglish version) Pass or Fail: Paano Maging the Best Student Ever and Pass or Fail 2: Paano Maging the Best Youth Ever by Ronald Molmisa For pre-school and elementary graduates, check out the following: Bible Trivia for Kids + God’s Got an Answer for That One year Devo for Boys + One Year Devo for Girls Carry Me books Jesus Calms the Storm Jesus Heals a Lame Man Jonah and the Big Fish Noah’s Amazing Ark So You Want to Be books Oh Mateo series by Grace Chong Mga Kuwento ni Tito Dok series by Luis Gatmaitan

Books are great graduation gifts that can last a lifetime

Visit any OMF Lit Bookshop located at Boni, Mandaluyong City; Il Terrazzo, Quezon City; Greenbelt 1, Makati City; Pergola, Parañaque City; Robinsons Cybergate, Cebu City; Banilad, Cebu; and Tiongko, Davao City.

Passages Bookshops can be found in The District, Talisay/ Bacolod City; Veranza Mall, General Santos City; and Centrio Mall, Cagayan De Oro City. You may also shop online through Passages.com.ph.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

MIllEnnIAl EntItlEMEnt At wOrk THE GIST

D

By ED BIADO

uring the company call at a marketing event I was supervising recently, I shared with the team one of the most valuable lessons I learned some time ago that I’ll always take with me wherever I go, whatever I do: that is, to consistently deliver good results even if the tasks assigned to you are menial ones that you yourself deem unimportant and insignificant. Why? Because no job is unimportant or insignificant. Because when in a team, it is the work of each individual from the bottom up that decides the success of the collective. Like they say, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.

I was speaking to a group composed mostly of young men and women who would be interacting directly with mall goers to push a new product, and I felt it was necessary to express that in hopes of motivating them to do their best not only for selfish reasons that I want my event to succeed, but also for them to have nuggets of wisdom that they can apply to their future endeavors, which I think will serve them well.

The job market is so cutthroat these days. No one is indispensable. For every qualified job seeker, there are a dozen who are more qualified. That’s one thing that the typical “young wide-eyed ingénue” doesn’t quite comprehend. And that disconnect is something that gave rise to the concept of “millennial entitlement.”

As thousands of new earlytwentysomethings join (or attempt to join) the workforce this graduation season, it’s only going to get more competitive. They will be pitted against one another, as well as others who have been in the workforce for three, five, 10 years. Yet somehow, they will feel like they’re the best candidate for the job – and will have a list of demands to boot.

I remember reading a friend’s post on Facebook about this. She was interviewing candidates for an entry-level position and was surprised to have been asked the question, “Why should I choose this company over the other ones I’m applying at?” And it wasn’t just one self-absorbed applicant who posed the query, but about a handful. She was also surprised by the insanely high wage the inexperienced young folks with such weak credentials were expecting to be offered.

Millennials have this misguided sense of entitlement

Your work should speak for itself

Coworkers will see your value if you deliver excellent work

Create a positive impact by being productive so you will not be easy to replace

What were these “children” taught in school that made them such assholes? I don’t know what goes on in university classrooms these days but I do know what’s on social media – the millennial hotbed of rants, complaints and overall brattiness.

Remember that Yelp employee Talia Jane who wrote an open letter to the company’s president because she felt she wasn’t

being paid enough? That’s right, people.

Millennial entitlement has come to this.

And predictably, Little Miss I Deserve Everything I Want was fired from her job.

Because that’s how the real world works.

Criticize your company publicly and that company probably won’t have any problem whatsoever parting ways with you. And other companies would be wary of hiring you considering you can create an online sensation for all the wrong reasons. In fact, experts suggest that Jane’s actions will likely hurt her chances of career growth and might even come back to bite her in the butt decades from now.

As a millennial myself, I do feel that sense of entitlement – the perception that I deserve so much more than what I currently have. But the difference between the older and younger millennial is that the former whines, complains and rants about work to friends over coffee or beer.

I mean, we’ve all been underpaid at one point or another, but you don’t see people in their late twenties or above making a huge fuss over it on social media. Because that’s crass.

Instead of flaunting millennial entitlement, I prefer to have quiet power, which has been my work philosophy ever since. I don’t go around telling people I’m good at my job. I simply do a good job. I don’t demand an insanely high wage from the start. I accept a package, as long as it’s reasonable, and build value for myself with hard work and perseverance and initiative

Competition in the job market is getting tougher, so find ways to stand out

and proactive behavior so my boss will have a hard time saying no when I ask for a raise or an extended vacation.

Your work should speak for itself. Your value should be something that your coworkers can readily and consistently observe, not something you actually have to verbally remind them of. In this world where everything and everyone is replaceable, you should be creating such a positive impact – in terms of productivity, attitudes, work environment – that you are the most difficult person to replace.

Because my dear entitled millennials, unless you become that person, you have no right to flaunt your entitlement.

Therefore, what you should do is work your ass off until you make it, and I’m somewhat confident that you will because if you’re that entitled, then you also must be that driven and hungry to succeed.

Which means you’re about halfway there.

So get at it.

Like what I said at the company call, whatever you’re tasked to do, do it like you’re giving the best performance of your life. That’s how you get noticed. That’s how you stand out. That’s how you can get recommended. That’s how you create a good personal brand. That’s how you can eventually command a higher salary and demand for perks. Stop whining and start working insanely well.

I’m at @EdBiado on Twitter and Instagram

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

GadGets For Graduates

SmartphoneS perfect for different kindS of would-be profeSSionalS

A

s new graduates prepare to enter the professional world, they need a more reliable companion that would help them reach their career goals while staying connected, productive and entertained all at the same time.

This year, multinational computer technology company Lenovo introduces its latest smartphones from its A, P and S series that offer exciting features and cutting-edge technology for the would-be members of the workforce.

For the Future power proFessionals

They have their sights on the big things and they are always looking for the next project to take, so they need a smartphone that can keep up with their energetic, fastpaced lifestyle. These incoming young professionals deserve the powerhouse Lenovo VIBE P1 and P1m.

VIBE P1 comes armed for all day work with a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core processor that can run multiple apps without compromising performance. The smartphone’s 24W quick charge function is perfect for busy bees who are usually in a rush for meetings and have limited time to power up their devices. But the phone’s juice getting depleted within the day is the least of the user’s concern as it is backed with 5000mAh battery.

Never miss important emails and reminders with its Wi-Fi Boost that provides 5G Wi-Fi support for improved Wi-Fi speed and range. The VIBE P1 can also be paired with a range of smart devices, from headsets to TVs, thanks to wireless NFC (Near-Field Communication) technology.

Aside from being a powerful and reliable device, the smartphone balances work and play with outstanding multimedia and entertainment features. It comes with a smart PA technology that boosts audio output and a sealed sound

Lenovo VIBE P1m

chamber for improved resonance and better bass. Young professionals can capture important moments or take photos of presentations during meetings using VIBE P1’s 13-megapixel rear camera with fast-focus PDAF technology or its 5-megapixel front camera with multiple shooting modes and beautification features.

Meanwhile, VIBE P1m is the perfect smartphone for multitaskers who lead an active lifestyle as it has splashproof capability via a nano-coating technology. Like its brother, VIBE P1m also comes with a quick charge function. It’s powered by a MediaTek 64-bit quad-core processor, features a vivid 5-inch HD screen, and is backed by a 4000mAh battery.

The P1 is available in platinum and graphite gray, while the P1m comes in onyx black and pearl white. Both units are now available at all authorized Lenovo Mobile dealers. VIBE P1 is priced at P14,999 and the P1m retails at P7,999.

For the out-oF-the-box thinkers

For graduates whose imagination runs free, they need VIBE S1 which boasts of one-ofa-kind features that stretch one’s creativity to no limits.

VIBE S1 comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera that is sure to capture the new graduates’ special moments. And on top of that, it comes with an 8-megapixel primary front camera that takes sharp images and 2-megapixel secondary front camera that analyzes depth of field information to replicate human binocular vision.

T h e smartphone has a cut-out feature that allows users to crop themselves out of selfies and place themselves on another background like the Eiffel Tower in France

Graduation

or Taj Mahal in India. It comes preloaded with images and scenes so users are also spoilt with choice. Whether users want to crop out unwanted photo bombers or just add extra creative effect to a photo, the VIBE S1’s blur feature sure comes in handy.

Users can refocus anywhere on the selfie for up to three focal planes, while adding a bokeh effect to the background to enhance and stylize a photo.

VIBE S1 is powered by a 64-bit MediaTek octa-core processor complemented with 3GB of RAM. Its 32GB of storage and up to 128GB of microSD external storage support can also easily store around 40,000 photographs. To top it all off, the VIBE S1 offers 5.0” full HD display, 4G LTE capability, and runs on Android 5.0 (Lollipop).

VIBE S1 will be available in white and gold colors, and can be purchased at all authorized Lenovo Mobile dealers on the last week of November for P15,999.

For the Go-Getters

For the free spirited and go-getters, the Lenovo A7000 plus shows that big things come in small packages.

Bigger and brighter features await new graduates as this new smartphone comes with 1920x1080 resolution full HD display, ensuring dazzling visuals and stunning graphics in their truest colors and finest details. While finishing their tasks for the day, users can listen to high quality music thanks to Dolby Atmos technology that offers

Lenovo A7000

Lenovo VIBE P1

a 360-degree sound for that ultimate multimedia experience.

Its impressive 13-megapixel autofocus main camera with Dual LED Flash and 5-megapixel front camera allow young professionals to capture important moments and milestones.

The A7000 Plus is powered by a 1.7 GHz octa-core processor coupled with 2GB RAM. This powerhouse offers seamless 4G TDD-LTE connectivity and dual SIM slots allowing users to multitask efficiently. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop and is backed with a 3000mAh battery that promises fast and smooth user interface.

The Lenovo A7000 Plus is available at all authorized Lenovo dealers nationwide for P7,999.

LUxURIoUS gRADUATIon cELEbRATIonS After years of toiling to finish assignments, meet project deadlines and pass examinations, graduating students deserve a celebration that’s one for the books.

The premier Diamond Hotel knows how to pamper graduates as it offers a special rate of P7,000 nett in its wellappointed

Celebrate at Diamond Hotel

Deluxe Room for two persons from today until March 18, and on March 28 to April 16.

Aside from an overnight stay, the promo includes a congratulatory cake, buffet breakfast, unlimited Wi-Fi connection, 20 percent off on massage service and foot reflex, 20 percent off on food and beverage, 20 percent off on laundry services and shuttle service to Intramuros and SM Mall of Asia on weekends for when the graduates want to tour the city with family and friends.

Head over to the hotel’s Corniche restaurant right after the commencement exercises

to indulge in a lavish feast.

Special lunch rate for P1,480 nett and P1,880 nett for dinner applies to graduates dining with five companions. The dining customers are also entitled to a round of drinks at the Sky Lounge.

Meanwhile, Yurakuen, Diamond’s Japanese restaurant, is celebrating this momentous occasion with its All-You-CanEat Yakiniku for P1,880 nett.

The meal promo also comes with a round of drinks at the Sky Lounge when dining in a group of five.

Bigger groups are up for bigger celebrations as a group of eight may choose to dine at Corniche or Yurakuen, while

Corniche Restaurant Buffet

the graduating student enjoys an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room with buffet breakfast for two all for P19,500 nett.

Diamond Hotel also

offers banquet packages for graduation parties.

For reservations and more information, call (02) 528-3000.

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Deglamorizing Richard Gomez: the 49-year-old actor stars in a “maalaala mo Kaya” episode as a tricycle driver

I

RIchaRD GOmEz In hIs fIRsT ‘mmK’ EpIsODE

t’s his first appearance in the weekly drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya or just MMK. Richard Gomez stars in his first-ever MMK episode tonight. His role is sure to inspire viewers. He plays a tricycle driver and student pursuing a master’s degree. How he juggles work and school is what the episode will try to illustrate.

As a kid, Rafael (Richard) dreamt of becoming a teacher. His stepfather thought it would be better for him to work than study.

But, Rafael would find ways to continue his studies.

After clashing many times with his stepfather, Rafael’s mother asked his sun to run away from home after graduation. He went to Manila to seek a better future.

But life was not so easy. Unable to continue his studies, he worked as a security guard to support his own family, and for years forgot about his dream to become a teacher.

Until one day, his life got threatened in a robbery, making him realize that he did not want to die with unfulfilled dreams.

He then went back to the province to become a tricycle driver, and saved enough money to go to college. He pursued a course in education and became a fullfledged teacher.

Joining this MMK episode are Patricia Javier, Sofia Millares, Faye Alhambra, Louella de Cordova, Ronnie Alonte, CX Navarro, Paolo Santiago, Ruben Gonzaga, and Miko Raval.

Malou Santos is MMK’s business unit head.

MMK airs every Saturday night on ABS-CBN. You can also catch up on full episodes and past episodes of MMK on ABS-CBNmobile. For more information, please go to www.abscbnmobile.com.

Richard Gomez in a scene from mmK episode showing tonight

Sofia Andres is Sosro Fruit tea Freeze Ice Goddess

teen star Sofia Andres is the face of Sosro Fruit tea products in the Philippines

Described as one of the freshest faces to hit the local showbiz industry, 17-year old Sofia Andres has a bubbly personality and a down-to-earth vibe that makes her a perfect #chillmate.

One of the most promising stars in Star Magic, Sofia shares her secret for keeping the chill vibe during long tapings, when hanging out with family and friends and in keeping up with her busy schedule-- she always has a bottle or two of fruit tea drinks in her bag.

So much so that when the world’s first bottled ready-to-drink tea, Sosro Fruit Tea, finally reached the Philippines through Reddimart Multi Resources Inc., there was no uncertainty that Sofia Andres is their perfect Ice Goddess.

“I’m so excited to be the official endorser of Sosro Fruit Tea! I’m a huge fan of fruit tea drinks and Sosro Fruit Tea is the only one I’ve tasted that has a real and genuine tea

flavor. My favorite is Sosro Fruit Tea Freeze which is a perfect blend of two fruit flavors with an icy aftertaste ick that really keeps me chill,” Sofia said.

She added, “I’m so happy to be the Sosro Fruit Tea Ice Goddess and be a part of the Sosro Fruit Tea family that understands the young, vibrant lifestyles of individuals like me!”

Sosro Fruit Tea, the millennial go-getter’s preferred real tea drink, is officially launching in the Philippines just in time for one of the most-anticipated seasons of the year— summer.

Originally from Indonesia, Reddimart Multi-resources, Inc. brought Sosro Fruit Tea in 2015 to the Philippines. Known for refreshing blends of real fruit flavor and authentic tea goodness, Sosro Fruit Tea has quickly become synonymous to a chillaxing time for many tea-drinkers.

Available in Freeze, Apple, Strawberry,

and Guava, Sosro fruit tea is perfect for anybody at any time that is looking for a quick way to re-energize and chill out onthe-go.

While having established itself as the chill fruit tea drink last year, Sosro Fruit Tea begins 2016 with its #TasteTheChill campaign which encourages drinkers to stay chill both figuratively and literally using their hero-product Sosro Fruit Tea Freeze.

Sosro Fruit Tea Freeze represents the cool and collected millennial who knows how to effortlessly mix work and play. With its one-of-a-kind blend of Strawberry and Grape plus its unique icy sensation, Freeze is the perfect drink for staying cool.

The #TasteTheChill urges Sosro Fruit Tea patrons—affectionately termed “chillmates”—to have a bottle of Freeze and let its enjoyable and refreshing icy taste invigorate them.

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SAt uRDAy : m A RcH 1 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

‘FIElDs OF HOpE’

aT ManHaTTan FIlM FEsTIval 2016

t

he wrath of Yolanda (Haiyan) did not only destroy millions of properties and took thousands of lives. It also shattered the dreams of many families and children of Eastern Visayas. It stole from them the hope that life will get better and progress is possible. If not for the help of both international and local organizations, things would have been harder for many of the survivors. Recovery and moving forward would remain to be an idea or a concept on paper and not a reality that they have to live on.

One of these organizations is Mission Tacloban of the Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation (RTRMF).

In May 2014, Mission Tacloban created a football program that would help young children overcome their trauma and depression. By actively participating in the sport and interacting with other survivors, these kids picked up the pieces of their broken dreams and looked forward to a better tomorrow.

“The program began with 96 children, ages 6 to 13. The Team from Barangay San Jose (one of the badly hit areas of Tacloban) had 15 members. Today, the football program has reached over a hundred children, the team from Barangay

San Jose alone, which we now call the RTR Leyte All Stars, has 44 members.” said Mission Tacloban Director, Ginggay Hontiveros.

In December last year, armed with courage and hope, the RTR Leyte All Star boys conquered Alaska Cup. It is known to be one of the most competitive football arenas in the Philippines. It was no easy feat though, even if they have beaten a handful of privileged boys from various schools in Metro Manila.

Yesterday, it was Alaska Cup, to-

day, the world.

Fields of Hope, the documentary film featuring three of the players of the Team was chosen to become part of the official selection for the Manhattan Film Festival 2016 in New York City. Extra Mile Productions, an independent Philippine production house that produces documentaries created and produced the film directed by Troy Bernardo.

The story of Jaryd, Julius, and Kenneth shall be shared to every-

one in what MovieMaker Magazine calls the coolest film festival in the world.

Local, national, and international media including television, newspaper, magazine, and web outlets like New York Times, Good Morning America, Good Day New York, and Vogue are covering the festival.

This will open doors for more opportunities for the boys.

Their story of hope, courage and strength will be showcased for the world to see.

These players will show how the mastery of living one day at a time is done. They have been through the worst at a young age, yet, they remain to be optimistic. They didn’t falter when the world tried stopping them from realizing their dreams.

They got bruised but they didn’t allow the pain and the fear to get the best of them.

Through their experience, the viewers will understand what it’s like to be a resilient Waray. They will get a good perspective on why amidst all the adversities going around us, one shouldn’t give up but instead, toughen up.

Fields of Hope isn’t just about football nor is it just about the boys and their struggle for survival. It’s the story of every Waray child who has dreams, who works hard to achieve it and uses passion to fuel his ambition. It is a representation of a survivor’s life.

The life of hope and courage, of gloomy days and bright mornings, of losing grip and holding on, and of believing in oneself and not giving up on his dreams.

It isn’t your regular go-to movie; it’s a slice of each of our lives.

To learn more about the film, you may access: https://fieldsofhopeblog. wordpress.com/

mAnzAno VowS to focuS on EDucAtIon, jobS

Senatorial candidate Edu Manzano vows to give priority to creating more educational and job opportunities to all Filipinos so that they can be equipped with the needed skills and competencies to boost their competitive edge over their global rivals.

Edu, who is running under the coalition Partido Galing at Puso in the May 9 elections, said he wants to push for creating the opportunities that would free the majority of the Filipino people from the shackles of ignorance and poverty.

“Education is the greatest equal-

izer and the best way to improve one’s lot. It is also the best shield against abuse and exploitation among our young people nowadays,” he said during a radio interview.

“Our children should not just have free access to quality education, but also, most importantly, in this age of globalization, they should be given the opportunity to pursue higher studies if they want to,” he added.

Manzano recalled when he asked his eldest son, Luis, to get a college degree first as a condition before pursuing a promising career in Philippine showbiz.

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20 22 23 24 26 28

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32 Not robust 33 Delighted in 34 Lillie or Arthur 35 “Wimoweh” beast

36 Holy cow!

37 Edict 38 Dogma 39 Bounds 40 Post-sneeze word 41 Knight might 43 Earth has one 44 Ballpark figures 45 Campus VIP 46 House parts 49 Thailand’s capital 52 With, to Henri 53 Saddle horse 55 Not do 57 Entry permit 58 Weight unit 59 Disentangle 60 Neck and neck 61 Kind of lily 62 Ebb or flood DOWN 1 — kwon do 2 Desert dweller 3 Onetime Trevi Fountain coins 4 Left the poker game (2 wds.)

5 Curved outward 6 Cads 7 Electrical units 8 Amazon milieu 9 Tooth pro’s deg.

10 Millionaires’ toys 11 A Guthrie

Luis, who is turning 35 next month, graduated from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Like his father, Luis is considered as one of the country’s best game show hosts.

“Magandang ehemplo si Luis.

Nung bata pa siya, maraming nang-eengganyo na mag-showbiz na siya. Usapan namin ay magtapos muna sya, magpakita ng diploma, at tapos nun ay bahala na sya,” Manzano quipped.

The former Makati vice mayor also said he will push for massive investment on teacher training and education, especially those in the pre-

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school levels and beyond, stressing that all school teachers should be given a chance to pursue higher studies.

“Some studies suggest that effective learning comes from a teacher’s mastery of the subject matter. All teachers, whether in public and private schools, should be given a shot at further studies,” he said.

Manzano also said he will also push for aligning the curricula to competencies or skills required by industries here and abroad to address the country’s labor requirements, including addressing the widening skills-job mismatch.

Actor and Partido Galing at Puso senatorial candidate Edu manzano

SAt uRDAy : m A RcH 1 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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Presidential candidate Grace Poe

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Veteran actress Susan Roces

GRacE OffERED vIcTORy TO ‘LOLa Kap’

S

en. Grace Poe offered her victory in her disqualification case to her mother Susan Roces.

She said she wasn’t able to talk to her mother after the Supreme Court handed down the decision on March 8 allowing her to run (for president) in the May 9 elections.

“Hindi pa nga kami nakakapag-usap. Katatapos lang ng event pero alam mo ito ay dine-dedicate ko rin sa kanya sapagkat iyon din ang pinagdaanan din namin,” she told Karen Davila on DZMM Tuesday afternoon.

“At siyempre hindi naman ako makakarating sa puntong ito kung hindi niya ako inalagaan, inaruga kaya para ito sa kanya,” added Grace about Susan who is known as

“Lola Kap” in the top-rating ABS-CBN series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

As a devotee of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, one of the more important lessons Susan taught Grace is to hold onto her faith in God in all the problems she is going through. In fact, she passed by the Quiapo Church when she got the news of the Supreme Court’s decision, She was on her way to Liwasang Bonifacio for the International Women’s Day celebration when she decided to drop by the church, said one staff member.

“Pinalaki ako ni FPJ na magmahal sa kapwa at huwag sumuko. Pinalaki rin ako ni Susan Roces na maging matapang na babae at magtrabaho at tulungan ang pamilya,” Grace told the crowd at the International

Women’s Day celebration.

Meanwhile, Susan thanked her daughter’s critics, like “Lola Kap,” the character she plays in the Probinsyano series.

“Maraming-maraming salamat po sa inyo na nagsampa ng mga demandang ito.

Tinatanaw kong utang na loob kasama ng lahat ng ‘pulot’ sa buong Pilipinas dahil nagkaroon ng boses ang lahat ng katulad ng anak kong si Grace,” she said.

Susan was speechless with the Supreme Court’s decision allowing her daughter to run in the May 9 elections. She was on the set of FPJ’s Ang Probinsayo when she heard the news.

“Wala na akong ibang masabi kung hindi maraming-maraming salamat sa suporta sa mga panalangin. Patuloy akong nanan-

alangin na maging karapat-dapat si Grace sa kung anuman ang landas na tatahakin niya,” she said.

“Ang ipinaglalaban ni Grace at ako ay mga karapatan ng mga bata na katulad niya. Hindi lamag karapatan ni Grace, hindi lamang ang pagtakbo bilang pangulo, kung hindi ang karapatan niyang maging kapantay ng lahat,” she added.

Dé jà vu is what Susan described the decision. It was like in 2004 when the Supreme Court rule in favor of her husband, Fernado Poe, Jr. to run for president.

“Nais kong pasalamatan lahat nang bumotong pabor para sa anak ko, si Grace Poe. Wala akong pananalita na mahagip para bigkasin. I’m very emotional,” Susan said.

GmA News’ mike Enriquez reaps awards from various universities As testament to his unwavering commitment to Serbisyong Totoo, GMA News’ Mike Enriquez received various recognitions from different universities recently.

The 24 Oras co-anchor and Imbestigador host is Best Male News Anchor, a recognition given to him by Central Luzon’s Bachelor of Arts in Communi-

GmA Network top broadcast journalist mike Enriquez

cation students. He will receive the award at the 3rd Paragala Central Luzon Media Awards today.

Launched in 2014, the Paragala Central Luzon Media Awards was initiated by the Communicators’ League of Holy Angel University in Pampanga, in partnership with various academic institutions in Central Luzon.

Enriquez, who also serves as GMA Network’s Consultant for Radio Operations, earlier won as Best Male AM Radio Personality in this year’s UmalohokJUAN Award organized by the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Manila. He is regularly heard weekdays on Super Radyo DZBB’s Saksi sa Dobol B. Earning a nod as well from LPU was Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, which took home the Best Magazine Show award on March 10 at the JPL Hall of Lyceum in Intramuros, Manila.

Lyceum recognizes works and achievements by media/corporate organizations and personalities who embody the university’s core ideals.

Enriquez joined fellow 24Oras anchors Mel Tiangco and Vicky Morales as this year’s Gawad Para sa Makabagong Mandirigma sa Larangan ng Telebisyon awardees by the University of the East. Now on its third year, the Gawad Bagani sa Komunikasyon recognizes the “warriors” in the popular media who fight social injustice rooted in poverty. The anchors of GMA’s flagship newscast were recognized in a ceremony on Feb. 19.

Yet another feather in his cap, the “Imbestigador ng Bayan” also took home the 2016 Media Award by Adamson University.

Enriquez was recognized for his role in becoming a voice for the poor and the marginalized through his various programs on television and radio.

Besting four other nominees from different television stations, Enriquez was voted by the students, administrators, co-academic personnel, and priests assigned in the said university.

He received the award during the ceremonies held on Feb. 17 at the Adamson University Theater.

couple chiz Escudero and Heart Evangelista

chiz taught Heart to be practical

In one year as wife, Heart Evangelista has learned a lot from her husband, Senator Francis “Chiz Escudero” who is also her mentor.

As an actress, she doesn’t deny that she comes from a well off family and she has live a life of glamor and a fashionista.

These days, though, Heart has learned to be practical, thanks to Chiz.

“Noong nakilala ko siya, ipinakita niya sa akin kung paano talaga maging praktikal,” Heart said during a radion interview radio in Davao City.

“Parang I’ve become a better person, ika nga. Para siyang blessing sa akin dahil para siyang teacher sa akin,” Heart added.

The couple is busy campaigning these days, but Chiz doesn’t put pres-

sure on her to be with him all the time. But Heart insists because she wants to show that she is all out for her husband’s run to be the country’s next Vice President.

“Eh siya hindi niya naman ako pinipressure. Kung asawa ka ng politiko di ba, dapat ganito ganyan, pero siya tanggap niya kung ano ako,” Heart said.

At home, they are like normal families we know.

“Very normal lang. Ang dami kong natututunan na gawaing bahay, nagluluto na ako ngayon,” Heart related.

Apart from Heart, the crowd in places Chiz and Grace Poe are visiting are also awaiting for Lovi Poe. Heart said she is excited to join in the campaign and to be with her best friend.

SAt uRDAy : m A RcH 1 2, 2016

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SHOWBITZ

Australian touristar Naisa Lasalosi (left) and Fathin Amira (right) from Singapore

‘I LOvE OPM’ gaTE TwO OPEnED, SuMnER, REEcE bID aDIEu ISAH V. RED

t

wenty-four Touristars finally entered Gate 2 or the “The Bump-Off ” round in the ABS-CBN’s original singing competition for 100 percent non-Filipinos who love OPM music, I Love OPM, last weekend.

In this stage, the remaining Touristars will be grouped into four and will compete with each other to determine who among them will make the cut. The two with the highest average score from the Himigration officers will advance to Gate 3, while the two get ‘bumped-off.’

Last Sunday, the show said goodbye to Touristars Sumner Mahaffey from the U.S.A. and Reece Rostedt from Australia after getting the lowest average scores of 91.67 and 86.67, respectively.

The two lost to fellow touristars Naisa Lasalosi (Australia), who won the hearts of the audience with his rendition of Sarah Geronimo’s “Ikot-Ikot,” and Fathin Amira (Singapore), who brought the house down, hitting the high notes of Dulce’s “Paano.”

Before they competed on stage, Sumner, Reece, Naisa, and Fathin went to Davao first with Eric Nicolas for the so-called “Soundtrip” where they get to spend some quality time and get to know more about the country’s culture.

Watch out as 20 more Touristars battle it out in the coming weeks that include Addy Raj (India), Anna Rabstun (Russia), Daniel Herrington (USA), DBD (Australia, Korea, Nigeria), Harris Dio Smith (Pakistan), In Seon Jung (South Korea), J-Morning (Japan), Jeena Dimaandal (USA), Jeff James (USA), Jerome McCuin (USA), Jonathan Wagner (France), Marina Lim (Canada), Matthew May (UK), Moses Akoh (Nigeria), Montri Bootnak (Thailand), Nelson Leusam (Samoa), Ryan Gallagher (USA), Sonata Stevenson (India), UchuSentai Noiz (Japan), and Yohan Hwang (South Korea).

Australian singer Reece Rostedt

Who among the Touristars will advance to Gate 3? Who will get ‘bumped-off ’ next?

Where in the Philippines will our “Touristars” next “Soundtrip” be? Who will make it out of “The Bump-Off Round”?

Don’t miss I Love OPM every Saturday right after MMK and every Sunday after Rated K on ABS-CBN. For updates, follow @iloveopmtv on Instagram and Twitter or like https://www. facebook.com/iloveopm on Facebook.

American touristar Sumner mahaffey

for help from Joanna to save her and her mother. And right away, Joanna responded to Trixie’s plea and tried to take their lives away from danger.

Can Joanna save Trixie or both their lives will be put in danger? What will Katrina do to stop Dexter’s plans to succeed?

Meanwhile, don’t miss Julia Barretto, Miles Ocampo, Iñigo Pascual, and Kenzo Gutierrez as they celebrate and give thanks for the viewers’ unwavering

support for And I Love You So at the Kapamilya Karavan at Araw ng Davao 2016, 4 p.m. today at SM City Davao.

Watch out for the finale week of And I Love You So, weekdays on ABS-CBN. For more information about the program, visit the official social networking site of Dreamscape Entertainment Television at Facebook.com/DreamscapePH, Twitter.com/DreamscapePH, and Instagram.com/DreamscapePH.

**** Julia and Miles set aside rivalry Truth and forgiveness prevailed in the final week of the afternoon series And I Love You So as rivals Joanna (Miles Ocampo) and Trixie (Julia Barretto) saved each other’s lives from harm brought by Dexter (Jay Manalo).

After successfully acquiring Alfonso’s (Tonton Gutierrez) wealth, Katrina (Angel Aquino) decided to fly abroad with Trixie, leaving Dexter behind and not giving him his fair share of money.

But as soon as he discovered Katrina’s plans of getting even with him, Dexter abducted Trixie and tried to kill her.

Fortunately, Trixie escaped and asked

“And I Love you So” stars Angel Aquino, Dimples Romana, Julia Barretto and miles Ocampo